USAupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 2 June 2025Trump Showcases Venezuelan Oil Shipment in Texas Ahead of Paxton Campaign Rallies
9 Western Mainstream6 Other1 Latin American2 Other source typesPhoto: Daniel Torok / US federal government, Public domain · Cropped for layout
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Trump says Venezuela sent one million barrels of oil to the United States. The oil shipment was shown during a Corpus Christi campaign event.
Oil “Gift” in Texas
President Donald Trump showcased a ship he said is carrying Venezuelan oil during a visit to Texas, where he planned two rallies in a bid to boost Republican chances in a “make-or-break Senate race.” Trump spoke at Corpus Christi and said, “It’s got 1 million barrels of oil on it from Venezuela,” adding the cargo was “thanks to our big victory in our recent war with Venezuela”.
Trump confirmed the plan before departing for the port of Corpus Christi, where he was due to campaign in favor of Paxton. The White House said in September that the first shipment from a late August deal would likely hit US reserves in November, while experts cast doubt on whether the deal would have any short-term impact, according to Al Jazeera.
Rallies, rivals, and claims
Trump endorsed Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary over incumbent Senator John Cornyn, and Paxton now faces Democrat James Talarico in a tight contest for Texas’ Senate seat. Trump told supporters, “If you go out, and if you all vote, we win in a landslide,” as he repeated attacks tied to cultural issues and urged voters to treat the election as if he were on the ballot.
Trump confirmed the plan before departing for the port of Corpus Christi, where he was due to campaign in favor of Paxton. Trump told reporters, “We took Venezuela with great success, and they have sent me a shipment of one million barrels of oil as a gift.”
What the shipment signals
The oil shipment was tied to an August agreement that gave the Pentagon a 35 percent stake in North America Blue Energy Partners, a company overseeing 65 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, according to Al Jazeera. The emphasis on Venezuelan oil came as US consumers wrestled with high fossil fuel prices amid the US-Israel war with Iran, a key issue for the upcoming midterm elections.
The cooperation framework began after Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces in January, and it described Trump’s comments as part of a plan he said would help reduce fuel prices. PBS reported that Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio planned to show off a newly arrived oil tanker filled with Venezuelan crude to be processed in Texas refineries at Port Arthur, Texas, on Tuesday.
