US President Donald Trump said he might ban ExxonMobil from operating in Venezuela, criticizing the oil giant after its leadership questioned the feasibility of investing in the country following the capture of former President Nicolas Maduro by US forces. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday as he departed West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said he was unhappy with the company’s stance. “I didn’t like Exxon’s reaction,” he said. “You’re playing too cute.” The comments came days after Trump met oil executives on Friday to ease industry concerns about Venezuela. During the meeting, he told the companies that any cooperation would be conducted directly with the United States and not through the Venezuelan government. However, not all executives were reassured. Darren Woods, CEO of ExxonMobil, described the current situation in drastic terms. “If we look at the commercial constructs and frameworks that exist in Venezuela today, it is no longer investable today,” he said. On the same day, Trump also signed an executive order aimed at preventing the use of Venezuelan oil revenues for litigation. The order released Saturday warned that authorizing the seizure of such funds “could undermine critical U.S. efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Venezuela.” The country has long faced confiscation of state assets, US sanctions and ongoing political uncertainty. After Maduro’s capture, securing investment from U.S. oil companies to rebuild Venezuela’s infrastructure has become a key goal of the Trump administration. The White House has portrayed the approach as an economic strategy, with Trump already seizing tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, announcing the U.S. will take control of sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned crude and saying he will monitor those sales worldwide indefinitely.
