Senate Democrats Launch Investigation into Trump Administration’s Dealings with Big Oil Surrounding U.S. Military Action in Venezuela

Senators—including the Ranking Members of the Environment and Public Works, Finance, and Banking Committees—are seeking answers from fossil fuel companies regarding their knowledge of the strikes, communications with the Trump Administration, and plans to invest in Venezuelan oil production

Washington, D.C.—Today, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), along with Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance; Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Bernie Sanders (I-VT), senior member of EPW; Brian Schatz (D-HI), member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; and Peter Welch (D-VT), member of the Finance Committee, launched an investigation into communications between major U.S. oil and oilfield services companies and the Trump Administration surrounding last week’s military action in Venezuela and efforts to exploit Venezuelan oil resources.  The Senators are requesting documents and information regarding the companies’ knowledge of the strikes, discussions with Trump Administration officials before and since the operation, and plans to invest in Venezuela from the CEOs of BP America Inc., Baker Hughes, Chevron, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, ConocoPhillips, Continental Resources, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, SLB, Shell USA, Inc., and Weatherford International.

The Trump Administration has explicitly linked its military efforts in Venezuela to the economic interests of the American fossil fuel industry.  Although Members of Congress received no advance notice of the military action, Trump “confirmed that administration officials had engaged with ‘all’ major U.S. oil companies on Venezuela policy both ‘before and after’” last week’s operation.  According to public reports, the Trump Administration “briefed oil companies a full 10 days before the U.S. land strikes and within a day after the strikes.”

Just hours after the strikes, Trump announced that U.S. oil companies would “‘have a presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil’” and would “‘get the oil flowing.’”  Today, Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced the United States will control Venezuelan oil sales “indefinitely.”  To help companies cover their costs to rebuild Venezuelan oil infrastructure, Trump has said the federal government may provide reimbursements.  That would cost American taxpayers billions more in the form of subsidies for the fossil fuel industry, which already benefits from over $700 billion annually in subsidies according to the International Monetary Fund.

“President Trump’s own statements justifying the operation in terms of access to foreign energy resources and benefits to the U.S. oil industry, reported repeated engagement between industry and government, and the suggestion that taxpayers could pay the cost of rebuilding Venezuela’s oil infrastructure raise serious concerns about how the Trump Administration engaged with the oil companies prior to his decision to use military force in Venezuela,” wrote the Senators.  “We would like to know the extent to which U.S. oil and gas companies such as yours had either advance knowledge of or the ability to shape American foreign policy decisions—especially given that Congress was kept in the dark concerning the use of force until after the strikes occurred.”

The Senators are requesting documents and information by January 21, 2026. 

The full letters are available here: BP America Inc., Baker Hughes, Chevron, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, ConocoPhillips, Continental Resources, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, SLB, Shell USA, Inc., and Weatherford International.