President Trump stated Wednesday evening that the United States could maintain oversight of Venezuela for years, potentially extracting oil from the country's reserves. Trump indicated that the interim Venezuelan government, comprised of former loyalists to Nicolás Maduro, was cooperating with U.S. demands.

Trump, during a nearly two-hour interview, suggested the U.S. would rebuild Venezuela in a profitable manner, utilizing and extracting its oil resources. "We will rebuild it in a very profitable way," Trump said. "We're going to be using oil, and we're going to be taking oil. We're getting oil prices down, and we're going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need."

These remarks followed statements from administration officials outlining a three-phase plan, presented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to members of Congress, for the United States to effectively control the sale of Venezuelan oil indefinitely. The plan's details were not fully disclosed, but it reportedly involves directing oil revenue to the interim government recognized by the U.S.

The U.S. has increased pressure on the Maduro regime through sanctions and diplomatic efforts, recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the interim president of Venezuela. This action is based on the U.S. stance that Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. The Trump administration has also maintained the threat of military intervention, with a U.S. armada positioned offshore.

While Republican lawmakers have largely supported the administration's approach to Venezuela, some Democrats on Wednesday expressed concerns about the extent of U.S. involvement and the potential for long-term intervention. Critics have questioned the legality and ethical implications of the U.S. controlling Venezuela's oil resources. The situation remains fluid, with the future of Venezuela and the extent of U.S. involvement uncertain.