Trump is ‘leaning’ to keep Exxon Mobil out of Venezuela after CEO’s skeptical response at White House meeting

ABOARD Air Force One (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday he was “inclined” to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela after its CEO questioned the country’s oil investment efforts following the ouster of former President Nicolas Maduro.

Read more: The United States and Venezuela are taking tentative steps toward restoring relations after Maduro’s arrest

“I didn’t like Exxon’s response,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he departed from West Palm Beach, Florida. “They play very nice.”

During a meeting Friday with oil executives, Trump tried to allay companies’ concerns and said they would deal directly with the United States, not the Venezuelan government.

But some were not convinced.

Darren Woods, CEO of ExxonMobil, the largest US oil company, said: “If we look at the commercial structures and frameworks in place today in Venezuela, we will find that today they are not investable.”

An Exxon Mobil spokesman did not immediately respond Sunday to a request for comment.

Also on Friday, Trump signed an executive order seeking to ensure Venezuelan oil revenues remain protected from use in judicial proceedings.

The executive order, published Saturday, says that if the funds were seized for such a use, it could “undermine critical U.S. efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Venezuela.” Venezuela has a history of state asset confiscations, ongoing US sanctions, and decades of political uncertainty.

Convincing US oil companies to invest in Venezuela and help rebuild the country’s infrastructure is a top priority for the Trump administration following Maduro’s arrest.

The White House is putting efforts to “manage” Venezuela in economic terms. Trump has seized tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, said the U.S. is taking over sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned Venezuelan crude, and plans to control sales around the world indefinitely.

Kim reported from West Palm Beach, Florida.