Top Trump official reveals how 30-minute military op unlocked Venezuela oil windfall for US buyers

DALLAS, Texas — The 30-minute U.S. military operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power has helped clear the way for a sweeping expansion of Venezuela’s battered energy sector, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said, sharing that the country’s national energy production will more than double by the end of 2027.

"Chevron is going to more than double their energy production.

In fact, that national energy production in Venezuela will more than double by the end of next year from the intervention on Jan.

3 this year," Wright told Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the RNC Midterm Convention.

Wright said the military actions in Venezuela helped open the door for a major increase in oil production as the administration has increasingly taken an active role in the socialist country as part of a broader push to expand U.S. influence and investment.

U.S. forces entered Venezuela for Operation Absolute Resolve Jan.

3, capturing Maduro and his wife Flores.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the attack was part of "massive joint military and law enforcement raid" and lasted less than 30 minutes.

TRUMP TOUTS ACCESS TO 65 BILLION BARRELS OF VENEZUELAN OIL IN DEAL HE SAYS WILL SLASH GAS PRICES "You had 25 years of communist dictatorship.

The standard of living has just plummeted in Venezuela.

Eight million Venezuelans fled.

About a million of them, and not all of them good actors, came to the United States of America.

People tried to beg, borrow, bribe, anything they could to change the Venezuelan government.

No luck," Wright said.