US President Donald Trump announced that his administration would decide which oil companies are permitted to operate in Venezuela, a move that follows a purported US military operation leading to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro earlier in the week. Trump made these statements during a White House meeting with top oil and gas executives, where he urged them to invest an estimated $100 billion to revive Venezuela's oil sector. He assured the companies of "total safety" and security for their operations, emphasizing that they would deal directly with the United States, not the Venezuelan government. Trump also claimed that Venezuela, under this new arrangement, would exclusively purchase American-made products with the oil deal proceeds, benefiting both nations. However, industry reception to Trump's proposals was mixed, with some major executives expressing significant skepticism. The CEO of ExxonMobil, Darren Woods, reportedly called Venezuela "uninvestable" without substantial changes to its legal and commercial frameworks, citing past asset seizures. House Democrats have also launched a probe into potential conflicts of interest, questioning whether Trump administration officials or oil companies stand to benefit privately from these actions. The Trump administration has indicated its intention to control Venezuela's oil sales and revenues indefinitely, portraying the situation as a major economic opportunity for the United States and a means to lower domestic gasoline prices. The US has already reportedly seized several tankers carrying Venezuelan oil and plans to oversee the sales of millions of barrels of previously sanctioned crude.