President of the United States Donald Trump used a campaign rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, to display a tanker he said was carrying one million barrels of oil from Venezuela. He floated the idea that Venezuela could one day join the United States as its 51st state.
“Venezuela will become a prosperous country, and who knows? Maybe some day soon it’ll become a prosperous 51st state,” Trump said. He called the shipment “the greatest oil victory in history” and said the oil was reaching the United States at no cost to American taxpayers.
Nine months after Maduro’s fall
The rally came nine months after the United States deposed Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, in a January operation. Maduro was taken to New York, where he faces criminal charges. No elections have been held in Venezuela since his detention.
The oil arrangement was struck with Venezuela’s interim government, which the Trump administration backs. Trump has claimed the deal will eventually cover billions of barrels, though Tuesday’s rally centered on the single tanker shipment.
Oil prices and politics collide
US fuel prices rose after that conflict began.
Trump’s remarks landed days before midterm elections next week, with his approval ratings at record lows in opinion polls. The tanker display, and the statehood suggestion, were delivered as part of that election push.
