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Monopoly Busters Caucus Chairs Demand Answers from Big Oil on Their Role in Trump’s Venezuela Attack

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the Monopoly Busters Caucus Chairs U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Pat Ryan (NY-18), and Angie Craig (MN-02) are demanding answers from major U.S. oil companies on their role in the Trump Administration’s military operation in Venezuela. 

The Chairs are calling for a full accounting of each oil firm’s involvement in the planning and execution of the U.S. attack and planned occupation of Venezuela. President Trump claimed he briefed oil executives before and after the attack, describing the oil industry as committed to investing at least $100 billion to rebuild the Venezuelan energy sector and asserting that the corporate expansion would receive military backup. 

“Public statements from President Trump suggest a level of pre-planned corporate-military integration that is as deeply troubling as it is legally fraught,” the Chairs wrote. “The claimed alignment between private profit and military force raises serious legal questions about the nature of your firm’s involvement in the operation and the planned occupation.”

The Members note that actions to help facilitate the military expedition or unauthorized negotiations with foreign actors may violate long-standing federal statutes like the Neutrality Act or the Logan Act. The Chairs also highlighted the risk of illegal collusion on Venezuelan ventures given the industry’s history of anticompetitive behavior.

“The American people deserve to know if our military is being used as a private security force for the oil industry,” the Members continued. “Congress has an important oversight and investigative role, and it is incumbent upon us to represent their frustration and concern.”

The oil companies have been given until January 30 to provide written responses and all relevant internal documents with information on:

  • Executive Branch Coordination: Details of all meetings and communications with the Executive Branch regarding the military intervention and planned infrastructure development.
  • Intelligence Sharing: Any intelligence, technical specifications, or data related to Venezuela that firms provided to the Executive Branch.
  • Reimbursement and Assets: Agreements regarding the Venezuelan oil the President intends to personally control or reimbursements for any planned industry investments.
  • Legal Risk and Immunity: Internal analysis of legal risks and any promises of legal immunization offered by the Trump Administration.
  • Labor and Affordability: Projected impact of potential multi-billion-dollar investments in Venezuela on domestic workforce and energy prices.

The letter was sent to the large U.S. oil companies that reportedly met with the Trump Administration on January 9 at the White House (letters linked): Chevron, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Continental Resources, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Valero Energy Corporation, and Halliburton Company.

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