By Salma El-Sakka
Donald Trump suggested Venezuela could become the 51st U.S. state during a campaign rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday, pointing to a tanker he claimed carried one million barrels of oil from the South American nation. The president hailed an oil agreement with Venezuela's interim government — installed after U.S. forces detained longtime leader Nicolás Maduro in January — as the "greatest oil victory in history."
Deal Claims Billions of Barrels
Trump said the deal would cover "billions" of barrels and insisted the oil comes at "zero cost to the American taxpayer." He added that fuel prices, which surged after the U.S. entered a war with Iran in February, "will soon come plummeting down." Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for 20% of global oil supplies, drove the price spike.
Acquisition Rhetoric Expands
Venezuela joins a growing list of territories Trump has spoken of acquiring, including Greenland, Canada, and Mexico. "Venezuela will become a prosperous country, and who knows? Maybe some day soon it'll become a prosperous 51st state," he told the crowd. "That's possible."
Political Context and Criticism
The rally comes days before midterm elections, with Trump's approval ratings at record lows amid the Iran war and global tariffs. Critics argue the administration has not pressed for a democratic transition in Venezuela, where no elections have been held since Maduro's removal and transfer to New York to face criminal charges.
