Trump Threatens ExxonMobil After They Didn't Jump Right in

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Donald Trump has said he might block ExxonMobil from investing in Venezuela after the oil company's chief executive called the country "uninvestable" during a White House meeting last week.

Posted by OCUser at 12:32 PM | 24 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

Alternate links: Google News | Twitter

ExxonMobil CEO: "If we look at the legal and commercial constructs--frameworks--in place today in Venezuela, today it's uninvestable." corporate.exxonmobil.com/news/news-re ...

[image or embed]
-- ryan cooper (@ryanlcooper.com) Jan 12, 2026 at 9:53 AM

Comments

Admin's note: Participants in this discussion must follow the site's moderation policy. Profanity will be filtered. Abusive conduct is not allowed.

... Woods' sceptical remarks ...

More from the cited article ...

... Woods told Trump on Friday: "We've had our assets seized there twice, and so you can imagine to re-enter a third time would require some pretty significant changes from what we've historically seen here."

Exxon's CEO said the company needed durable investment protections introduced and that the country's hydrocarbons law also needed to be reformed.

"If we look at the legal and commercial constructs and frameworks in place today in Venezuela today, it's uninvestable," he said.

ConocoPhillips' CEO, Ryan Lance, told Trump that his company was the largest non-sovereign credit holder in Venezuela, and called for a restructuring of the debt and the country's entire energy system, including PDVSA. ...

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-12 12:08 PM | Reply

How unusual: Donald Trump is threatening someone.

#3 | Posted by Zed at 2026-01-12 12:29 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Trump notified the oil companies he was kidnapping Venezuela's leader.

But he didn't bother asking if they were going to actually support his plans to rebuild Venezuela.

Now that's leadership!

#4 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-01-12 12:37 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

@#3

Yeah, Pres Trump is threaening (extorting?) the Exxon CEO because the CEO had the audacity to care about shareholder interests and investments.

Granted, I am not a fan of Big Oil.

However, it is worse to my eyes when the President seems to be extorting a CEO.

#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-12 12:37 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Trunp should just nationalize the oil companies...

#6 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-01-12 12:40 PM | Reply

Here is the oil companies response to Trump, in Republican words:

Better opportunity elsewhere. Welcome to the real world.
#13 | Posted by BellRinger

#7 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-01-12 12:41 PM | Reply

Trunp should just nationalize the oil companies...

Obviously his view is that the Executive Branch controls the means of production.

#8 | Posted by REDIAL at 2026-01-12 01:28 PM | Reply

Trunp should just nationalize the oil companies...
#6 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-01-12 12:40 PM

COMMIE!:]

#9 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2026-01-12 01:37 PM | Reply

He needs as many accomplices as possible to make it worthwhile.

#10 | Posted by fresno500 at 2026-01-12 01:52 PM | Reply

Don't you lefties hate Exxon Mobil?

#11 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-01-13 12:22 PM | Reply

Trump's nonsense is equivalent to:

"You're fired!" - TRUMP

"We already quit!" - EXXON

#12 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-01-13 12:51 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

BTW, Venezuela is still run by the same people minus Maduro

#13 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-01-13 12:52 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Hah!

#14 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-01-13 01:02 PM | Reply

Don't you lefties hate Exxon Mobil?

#11 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Hate (revenge and retribution)is your schtick.

Good luck getting us to defend Exxon you farging ICEholes.

#15 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-01-13 01:41 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

This is what happens when you don't do your homework. Trump didn't do his homework. HA!

Lewzer!

But let's don't kid ourselves. This drama isn't over yet. Trump will be desperate to find a way to dig himself out of this hole.

Since he never takes responsibility for anything, maybe he'll blame it on Biden.

#16 | Posted by Twinpac at 2026-01-13 01:56 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Don't you lefties hate Exxon Mobil?

Don't you righties hate big government telling businesses what to do?

Personally, I hate that more than I dislike Exxon.

But I also have my priorities straight, clearly not like the righties.

#17 | Posted by horstngraben at 2026-01-13 02:29 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Remember Chavez only wanted 51% stake in their own resources to be used for housing healthcare and education.
Apparently that was too much to ask. The core mistake: being friends with US initially.

#18 | Posted by john_savage1 at 2026-01-13 02:36 PM | Reply

"Don't you righties hate big government telling businesses what to do?"

Yes. I am in complete agreement with you on this.

#19 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-01-13 02:38 PM | Reply

But I also have my priorities straight, clearly not like the righties.

#17 | Posted by horstngraben

I'd say you both have only hate with which to craft your respective utopia.
Meanwhile the common enemy goes unrecognized.

#20 | Posted by john_savage1 at 2026-01-13 02:41 PM | Reply

"Don't you righties hate big government telling businesses what to do?"

Remember that the next time you shill for EV dictat and gay cake.

#21 | Posted by john_savage1 at 2026-01-13 02:44 PM | Reply

gay cake.