Trump Floats Making Venezuela the 51st State During Texas Rally as He Touts 'Historic' Oil Deal
The midterm campaign event took place in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Oct. 28 2026, Published 1:31 p.m. ET
Donald Trump suggested Venezuela could become the 51st U.S. state during a Texas campaign rally Tuesday, October 27, as he showcased the arrival of 1 million barrels of Venezuelan crude and promoted his administration's expanding oil agreement with the South American nation.
Speaking at the Port of Corpus Christi, Trump pointed toward a tanker carrying the Venezuelan oil and called the shipment part of what he described as the "greatest oil victory in history."
He said the crude was being provided to the United States at no cost to American taxpayers and would be refined in Texas.
Trump then took his comments about Venezuela beyond energy policy.
"Maybe someday soon it will become a prosperous 51st state," he said before adding, "Let's make it the 51st state. And instead of a president, we'll have an election for a governor."
Trump Touts Venezuelan Oil Deal
He described the oil shipment as a gift to the United States.
The remarks came as Trump campaigned in Corpus Christi for Texas Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections. His appearance centered heavily on the first major Venezuelan oil shipment under a new U.S. agreement.
The White House said the 1 million barrels represented the first shipment secured through the administration's Venezuela oil deal and said the crude would be refined in Texas.
The administration has argued that greater supplies will eventually help reduce gasoline and diesel prices.
The shipment arrived under an agreement involving North American Blue Energy Partners, or NABEP.
Reuters reported that the crude is expected to be sold to Exxon Mobil and Citgo refineries, while the broader arrangement gives the U.S. government a 35% stake in NABEP's parent company and access to Venezuelan production at a discounted rate.
Trump has repeatedly presented the deal as a major economic win. In a Truth Social post ahead of the rally, he said the first shipment was only the beginning of what he described as billions of barrels of Venezuelan oil and predicted that gasoline and diesel prices would fall sharply.
Venezuela’s Political Future Remains Disputed
Trump said the shipment would cost U.S. taxpayers nothing.
Trump's statehood comments came months after U.S. forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January. Maduro was taken to New York, where he faces federal charges including narcoterrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.
His trial is scheduled to begin in June 2027.
Following Maduro's removal, Delcy Rodríguez became Venezuela's interim president.
The Trump administration has since recognized her government and moved toward closer economic and diplomatic ties, including cooperation over the country's oil industry.
Venezuela has not yet held a new presidential election since Maduro's capture.
Rodríguez said in September that elections would take place as part of a transition to democracy, but she did not provide a date. Opposition groups have continued pressing for a clear electoral timetable and free elections.
Trump did not outline any actual process for Venezuelan statehood at the rally. His comments came during an extended discussion of the country's oil reserves and appeared to be a rhetorical proposal rather than an announced legislative or diplomatic initiative.
Fuel Prices Loom Over Midterm Campaign
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He joked that Venezuelans could elect a governor instead of a president.
Trump's pitch comes as fuel prices have become a political liability for Republicans heading into the midterms. The administration has sought to connect increased oil supplies, including Venezuelan crude, with lower costs at American gas stations.
The pressure on energy markets is also tied to the war with Iran. The conflict began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, and the resulting disruption at the Strait of Hormuz has affected global oil markets.
The waterway normally handles roughly 20% of the world's daily oil supply, according to the California Energy Commission, while the Center for Strategic and International Studies puts the share of seaborne crude passing through the strait at about 25%.
At the Corpus Christi rally, Trump argued that Venezuelan oil could help increase supplies and bring gasoline and diesel prices down.
The first shipment's arrival gives the administration a tangible example to point to as it makes that case, while the larger oil agreement and Venezuela's unresolved political transition remain subjects of debate.
