Trump ‘Seriously Considering Making Venezuela the 51st State,’ Fox News Reports

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

President Donald Trump told Fox News on Monday that he was “seriously considering making Venezuela the 51st state” after abducting the country’s president Nicolas Maduro.

Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin reported on Monday morning that Trump had spoken to Fox News host John Roberts “just now” and had said that he is “seriously considering making Venezuela the 51st US state.”

The president also reportedly told Roberts that “Venezuela loves Trump,” before noting that there was $40 trillion in oil in the country.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was abducted by U.S. forces and taken to New York, where he is currently imprisoned, during a military operation in January. Venezuela is currently being led by acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who had previously served as Venezuela’s vice president until Maduro’s abduction.

Following the military operation, Trump made a mocking social media post declaring himself to be the new president of Venezuela.

Trump also announced he would sell Venezuela’s oil and that the money would be personally controlled by him.

“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” he boasted. “This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!”

In February, Trump praised Rodriguez, congratulating Venezuela’s acting president for doing “a great job” in handing over the country’s oil to the U.S.

“Delcy has done a very, very good job and the relationship is strong. The oil is coming out, and a lot of money is being paid for oil by other nations,” he said. “And we’re taking care of it, we’re refining it, and we’re the only one that has the capability to refine it. Right now, the relationship with Venezuela is as good as it could be.”

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