First posted on Instagram
President Donald Trump says he personally told China and Russia to leave Venezuela — and claims both countries backed down after his calls. "I said, 'You got to leave.' They left. But we didn't leave."
Trump made the remarks in January, days after the January 3 U.S. operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, speaking to oil executives at the White House. "I told China, and I told Russia, 'We get along with you very well, we like you very much, we don't want you there, you're not gonna be there,'" he said then, adding that China could buy all the oil it wanted from the United States and Venezuela.
The claim is back in focus now because the administration has put a formal demand to Venezuela's interim government. ABC News reported on Tuesday that the United States has told interim President Delcy Rodríguez that Venezuela must expel China, Russia, Iran and Cuba and sever economic ties with them before it can pump more oil, and must partner exclusively with the United States on oil production, favouring America when selling heavy crude oil. The White House did not dispute the reporting.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in a private briefing on Monday that he believes the United States can force Venezuela's hand because its existing oil tankers are full. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker confirmed in an interview with ABC News that the U.S. plan hinges on controlling Venezuela's oil.
Trump posted on Tuesday evening that Rodríguez would turn over 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the United States, to be placed on storage ships, unloaded in the U.S. and sold at market price. Vice President JD Vance said Venezuela can only sell its oil if it serves the interests of the United States.
Russia, China, Iran and Cuba have condemned the U.S. operation as illegal. Trump has said the United States will run Venezuela until there is a proper transition.