Trump dodges questions on Venezuela oil proceeds, says US has earned over $13 billion and 'paid for that war'

US President Donald Trump on Monday, July 27, sidestepped repeated questions about how the US is spending billions of dollars generated from Venezuelan oil sales, claiming Washington has collected “more than $13 billion” since taking control of the country’s crude exports and has already recovered the costs of its military campaign there “many times over.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Waterford Township, Michigan, Trump was asked about a Financial Times report estimating that the US had taken in around $13 billion from Venezuelan crude sales following the overthrow of former President Nicolás Maduro.

“$13 billion from Venezuela? I think even more than that. We’ve paid for that war many times over,” Trump said.

Pressed repeatedly on where the money was going, Trump did not give a direct answer. “Running the country,” he said.

Asked again, he added that the funds “can go to the military” but noted that Congress must approve such spending, while criticising lawmakers for not allocating enough money to defence.

Trump’s comments also come as Congress weighs additional funding for the Iran war. The administration is seeking tens of billions of dollars in supplemental funding for military operations and weapons replenishment.

Trump also suggested the same model would apply to Iran as well.

The US took control of Venezuela’s oil exports after Maduro was captured in a military raid on January 3. While Washington assumed control over crude sales, it largely left the Venezuelan government in place and has been working with interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Semafor in April that the US had sold around 150 million barrels of Venezuelan oil since January. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later told Congress that the proceeds are held in a Citibank account and that every expenditure is subject to an ongoing audit by KPMG.

According to State Department official Michael Kozak, about $3 billion had been disbursed from the Treasury-managed account as of April.