Trump Touts 1 Million Barrels of Venezuelan Oil in Texas

Corpus Christi, Texas: At a campaign rally on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted a shipment of one million barrels of Venezuelan oil and suggested that Venezuela could eventually become America's 51st state.

Trump told the crowd that the South American nation could grow into a rich country and, possibly, a prosperous American state. He proposed that if Venezuela became a state, its leaders would be chosen through gubernatorial elections rather than a presidential one.

Pointing to a ship docked behind him, the president said it held one million barrels of oil from Venezuela. He described the moment as a major victory for America, calling it the largest oil triumph in the nation's history.

He emphasized that the oil was being made available to the United States at no expense to American taxpayers. According to Trump, the arrangement followed a recent success in the conflict.

Earlier in the day, he told journalists at Joint Base Andrews that the United States had gained control over Venezuela and that Caracas had sent the oil as a present.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared with the president and described working for America as a privilege. Trump, in a light moment, said Rubio could be sent to Cuba to resolve its problems in about 15 minutes.

On Iran, Trump said the United States was not responsible for starting the war. He argued that Iran had been carrying out war-like operations against America since 1979 and had taken the lives of several American citizens.

Trump conceded that rising energy costs were a consequence of the situation. He said he had foreseen that prices might double or triple but had still chosen to proceed, and he promised that the price pressure would soon subside.

He added that recent developments in the Middle East were delivering significant economic advantages to the United States.

The rally was part of Trump's push to support Republican leaders in Texas before the midterm elections on November 3. He appeared alongside Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott before traveling to Lubbock for a second rally.

In January, U.S. forces detained former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. The interim government in Caracas has since entered into oil deals with Washington.