After the Trump Administration’s strike on Venezuela and the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro, there’s one word on everyone’s mind: oil. President Trump has big plans for the country’s vast reserves, which today account for just 1% percent of global production.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura and Bloomberg Opinion’s Javier Blas talk through the Trump Administration’s gamble on Venezuela’s oil, how the president plans to convince the energy industry to invest in the country’s aging infrastructure, and why its resources are key to the administration’s plans at home and abroad. 

Read more: Forget the Naysayers, Venezuela Offers Quick Oil Wins 

Listen more: Oil Prices Could Get Cheaper Despite Venezuela Blockade

Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Javier Blas; Edited by Paddy Hirsch and Simon Casey.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Katie McMurran.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

After the Trump Administration&rsquo;s strike on Venezuela and the arrest of President Nicol&aacute;s Maduro, there&rsquo;s one word on everyone&rsquo;s mind: oil. President Trump has big plans for the country&rsquo;s vast reserves, which today account for just 1% percent of global production.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host David Gura and Bloomberg Opinion&rsquo;s Javier Blas talk through the Trump Administration&rsquo;s gamble on Venezuela&rsquo;s oil, how the president plans to convince the energy industry to invest in the country&rsquo;s aging infrastructure, and why its resources are key to the administration&rsquo;s plans at home and abroad.&nbsp;
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-01-09/venezuela-oil-offers-quick-riches-for-a-few-us-companies?srnd=undefined">Forget the Naysayers, Venezuela Offers Quick Oil Wins</a>&nbsp;
Listen more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-22/oil-prices-could-get-cheaper-despite-venezuela-blockade">Oil Prices Could Get Cheaper Despite Venezuela Blockade</a>
Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Javier Blas; Edited by Paddy Hirsch and Simon Casey.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Katie McMurran.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

Why Trump Wants Venezuela’s Oil

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b02e7eba-8772-4984-b885-b3cd016ac501/transcript

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