US President Donald Trump has said America’s involvement in Venezuela could last for years, signaling a long-term role following the dramatic removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking to the New York Times, Trump said “only time will tell” how long his administration would “oversee” the South American country after US forces seized Maduro in a raid on Saturday.
Trump did not say whether or when elections would be held to replace the interim government now led by Maduro loyalist Delcy Rodríguez.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado said Maduro’s removal had triggered an “irreversible process” that would eventually make Venezuela “free.”
New York Times journalists questioned Trump about his plans for Venezuela days after he said his administration would take charge of the oil-rich nation.
Earlier on Wednesday, the White House said the US would control sales of Venezuela’s sanctioned oil “indefinitely.”
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Washington needs control over oil sales to maintain leverage over the interim government in Caracas.
Trump said his administration would be “taking oil” from Venezuela, which holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but admitted it would “take a while” to revive the country’s struggling oil industry.
Venezuela’s oil output has collapsed due to years of mismanagement under Maduro and his predecessor, as well as long-running US sanctions.
Trump told the New York Times that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is “in constant communication” with Rodríguez, who was named interim leader by Venezuela’s Supreme Court, a body dominated by Maduro allies.
He added that Rodríguez is “giving us everything that we feel is necessary.”
The US president has previously said the interim government agreed to use oil revenues only to buy US-made goods.
According to the New York Times reporters, Trump did not explain why he chose to recognize Rodríguez as Venezuela’s new leader.
Many analysts expected Maduro’s removal to be quickly followed by the return of opposition leaders Edmundo González and María Corina Machado.
But in his first press conference after the US raid, Trump played down Machado’s role, claiming she lacked the “respect” and backing needed to lead the country.
“I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader,” he said.
Machado had united opposition groups ahead of the 2024 presidential election but was barred from running by officials loyal to Maduro.
She instead backed former diplomat González, who ran as her proxy.
Venezuela’s electoral council, also dominated by government allies, declared Maduro the winner. However, opposition vote tallies — later independently verified — showed González won by a landslide.
After a post-election crackdown, González fled into exile, while Machado went into hiding inside Venezuela.
In December, she made a dangerous journey by land, sea, and air to reach Oslo, where she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights” in Venezuela.
Her current location is unknown, but she has said she plans to return to the country soon.
In an interview with opposition outlet La Patilla, Machado said Maduro’s removal had set Venezuela on an unstoppable path toward freedom.
She said she hoped the next phase of the transition would be “as short and swift as possible.”
Machado added that the interim government — which she described as “the same regime it was under Maduro” — was now “being given instructions to dismantle itself.”
She insisted González is the legitimate president-elect and called for his mandate to be respected.
Machado stressed that “the first thing” that must happen is the release of political prisoners.
More than 800 political prisoners remain locked up in Venezuela’s notorious jails, and Machado is not alone in calling for their release.
On Wednesday, Republican lawmaker María Elvira Salazar posted several messages on social media demanding they be freed “immediately.”
However, in his interview with the New York Times, Trump appeared “far more focused on the rescue mission than the details of how to navigate Venezuela’s future,” according to the journalists.
When pressed about US plans, Trump said, “We will rebuild it in a very profitable way.”
He added: “We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil. We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need.”
Trump is expected to meet executives from three of the largest US oil companies at the White House on Friday to discuss the plans.
Meanwhile, the US Senate voted 52–47 on Thursday to move forward with a resolution aimed at blocking the Trump administration from taking further military action in Venezuela.
The vote opens debate under the War Powers Act, though another vote would be required for final approval.
It marks the first time during Trump’s second term that the Senate has acted to limit his military authority.
Still, the move may be largely symbolic. It is unclear whether the resolution will pass the House, and even if it does, Trump could still veto it.
