WASHINGTON: Republican Representative Thomas Massie sharply criticised President Donald Trump on Tuesday over the administration’s handling of Venezuelan oil seized amid escalating tensions with Caracas. Massie accused Trump of selling “stolen” Venezuelan oil and using the proceeds for his own benefit rather than following constitutional procedures.
Read More: US Senate rebukes Trump on Venezuela in war powers vote
Massie’s comments came as the US has intensified pressure on Venezuela following a dramatic military operation in early January in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured by US forces and brought to the United States on criminal charges — a move that has drawn international attention and controversy.
Posting on social media, Massie argued that selling Venezuelan oil without congressional approval violated the US Constitution, asserting that Trump “cannot legally create a second Treasury overseas for his own piggy bank.” He described the oil as “stolen” and urged Congress to intervene, stressing that “only Congress can appropriate money.”
The Trump administration has announced plans to sell oil taken from Venezuela’s reserves, including tens of millions of barrels that the president said would be marketed at global prices and the revenue used to benefit both Venezuelans and Americans. Critics, including Massie, argue that such sales — and the practice of holding proceeds in overseas accounts — sidestep legislative oversight.
The broader context includes a sustained US campaign to control Venezuelan oil exports, with the military seizing multiple Venezuela‑linked oil tankers in Caribbean waters as part of a maritime embargo on sanctioned vessels.
Read More: UN security council to debate US Venezuela action
While the White House defends its actions as lawful and aimed at removing corrupt influence and stabilising Venezuela, opponents say they raise serious constitutional, legal and diplomatic questions. Massie’s intervention reflects growing unease among some US lawmakers about executive authority and the long‑term implications of Washington’s Venezuela policy.