Zincwarrior
Diamond Member
Now Trump says the US will pay oil companies to rebuild Venezuela. That switched up fast.
Trump says the U.S. government may reimburse oil companies for rebuilding Venezuela's infrastructure
Big oil firms will either "get reimbursed by us or through revenue," Trump told NBC News in an exclusive interview.
Trump says the U.S. may reimburse oil companies for rebuilding Venezuela's infrastructure
Big oil firms will either "get reimbursed by us or through revenue," Trump told NBC News in an exclusive interview.
President Donald Trump said he believes the U.S. oil industry could get expanded operations in Venezuela "up and running" in fewer than 18 months.
"I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money," Trump told NBC News in an interview Monday.
"A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue," he said.
Whether the U.S. government ultimately agrees to reimburse the oil industry's costs in Venezuela, or alternatively, decides that future revenue is sufficient repayment, will likely be a key factor for the oil companies as they consider their options.
Trump declined to say how much money he believes it would cost companies to repair and upgrade Venezuela's aging oil infrastructure.
"It’ll be a very substantial amount of money will be spent" by the oil companies, Trump said. "But they’ll do very well."
"And the country will do well," he added.
Despite Trump's optimism, oil companies have appeared skeptical of quickly entering, expanding or investing in Venezuela. A history of state asset seizures, the ongoing U.S. sanctions and the latest political instability all feed into this caution.