Donald Trump wore a badge featuring a cartoon version of himself during a meeting with oil executives at the White House on Friday. The US president, who was also wearing his customary American flag pin, explained to reporters that the badge was a gift, describing it as a 'Happy Trump'. He said, 'Somebody gave it to me, so I put it on.'
The meeting focused on encouraging US oil companies to invest in Venezuela, following the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Trump called for $100bn (£74.6bn) in investments to revive Venezuela's oil production. He assured executives of 'total safety', stating, 'You're dealing with us directly and not dealing with Venezuela at all.'
Trump emphasised that the investment would come from private companies, not the government, but that they would need government protection. The White House invited executives from 17 companies, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips. ExxonMobil's chief executive Darren Woods described Venezuela's current commercial framework as 'un-investable', noting that significant changes would be required.
Earlier that day, US forces seized a fifth tanker linked to Venezuelan oil, reflecting the administration's determination to control the country's petroleum sector. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the meeting was primarily about Venezuelan oil and its long-term relationship with the US, including reducing oil prices for Americans and stopping drugs and criminals entering the country.
