John,

Donald Trump’s military action in Venezuela raises urgent questions about corporate influence and abuse of power. Trump launched strikes without congressional authorization while indicating that major oil companies were informed about the military strike and stand to profit from the aftermath.

Trump has been explicit about the motive. He has said the United States will take oil wealth from Venezuela and that American oil companies will rebuild its oil sector and make money. That language turns an illegal war into a business opportunity and places Big Oil at the center of a foreign policy scandal.

When corporations that pay lower tax rates than working families are positioned to benefit from war, Congress cannot look away. Lawmakers must subpoena oil executives, obtain internal communications, and demand sworn testimony about any briefings, lobbying, or profit projections tied to Venezuela.

Tell Congress to open a full investigation into Big Oil’s role in Trump’s illegal war and force executives to testify under oath.

Unchecked executive power combined with corporate access is how wars are launched without accountability. If oil executives had more insight into Trump’s war plans than Congress did, that is a direct threat to democratic oversight.

Big Oil companies have already been big beneficiaries of the Trump regime. They’ve spent years exploiting the 2017 Trump-GOP tax law, for instance. ConocoPhillips paid an effective federal tax rate of just 4.7%. Chevron paid 6.3%. Exxon paid 10.4% in the first five years under that law. Meanwhile, the average household paid about 14.5% in 2022. And instead of Big Oil reinvesting their tax savings in lowering costs for consumers or investing in renewable energy, the largest energy companies poured $206 billion over seven years into stock buybacks to further enrich their wealthy shareholders.

The American people deserve transparency before this conflict escalates further. Congress still has the authority to act. It must use it now.

Demand accountability, public disclosure, and consequences for any corporation that used insider access to profit from war.

Let’s keep fighting for accountability and a fair tax system.

John Foti
Legislative Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund

-- David's email --

John,

Donald Trump launched military strikes in Venezuela without congressional authorization. Trump’s own statements indicate that Big Oil executives were informed about planned military action before Congress was.[1] That is not just a violation of constitutional war powers. It raises serious questions about corruption, insider access, and corporate influence over U.S. foreign policy.

Venezuela holds the single largest oil reserve on Earth―larger than Saudi Arabia’s. Trump has openly stated that the United States will take oil wealth from the country and that American oil companies will move in to rebuild and profit. When a president launches an unauthorized war in an oil-rich nation and hands its resources to big corporations, Congress has an obligation to investigate who was consulted and who stands to benefit.

This concern is sharpened by Big Oil’s record under the Trump-GOP tax law―which is now paying tax rates considerably below the normal corporate tax rate of 21%. Over the first five years of the tax scam, Exxon paid 10.4%. Chevron paid 6.3%. Marathon paid 10.7%. Phillips 66 paid 7.9%. ConocoPhillips paid just 4.7%. In 2022, the average household paid about 14.5% in federal income taxes, meaning working families paid a higher rate than the companies now positioned to profit from Trump’s illegal war.

Now, Trump is threatening the possibility of even more attacks on Venezuela while promising that U.S. oil companies will return to extract and sell its oil. That combination demands serious oversight. Congress must determine what Big Oil knew, when they knew it, whether oil executives pushed for this illegal war, and how they expected to profit from it.

Tell Congress to subpoena Big Oil executives and investigate whether corporate interests influenced Trump’s illegal war in Venezuela.

Congress must treat this as both an unauthorized use of military force and a corporate corruption inquiry. If oil executives received advance notice of military action, they gained an insider advantage while elected lawmakers were excluded from decisions that could lead to war.

The tax windfalls Big Oil received were not used to lower prices or accelerate clean energy. The ten largest energy companies spent roughly $206 billion on stock buybacks to further enrich their wealthy shareholders.

If oil companies lobbied for sanctions, military escalation, or post-war access to Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, the public has a right to know before this conflict expands further. A system that allows corporations paying single-digit tax rates to shape war policy is fundamentally broken.

Demand a full investigation, sworn testimony, and public disclosure of what Big Oil knew, when they knew it, and how they expect to profit.

Together we can defend democracy and tax fairness.

David Kass
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund