John,
For decades, Democracy for America has stood against reckless wars, corporate capture, and the abuse of executive power. What Donald Trump is now planning in Venezuela combines all three. After bombing Caracas, capturing then-President Maduro, and declaring his intention to “get the oil flowing,” Trump is laying the groundwork for a lawless, war-for-oil scheme that puts democracy and taxpayers directly in the crosshairs.
Trump has been explicit about what comes next. He wants U.S. oil giants like Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips to pour billions into Venezuela’s oil fields and infrastructure, then “get reimbursed by us or through revenue.” That is a promise of taxpayer-backed subsidies by another name. Experts estimate rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector could cost as much as $115 billion, money Trump is signaling should come from the public, not corporate balance sheets.
This is the same corrupt playbook America has used for decades. Military force secures resources, public money absorbs corporate risk, and private profits flow to oil executives. It has nothing to do with helping Venezuelans or promoting democracy. It is about locking in fossil fuel power while working families here struggle to keep up.
Congress still holds the power of the purse and the power to say no. Lawmakers, including Rep. Mike Levin and Sen. Jeff Merkley, have introduced legislation to block any use of taxpayer dollars or public finance tools to subsidize oil operations in Venezuela. This is a clear line in the sand against war profiteering, corruption, and another generation of fossil fuel expansion funded by the public.
Help stop Trump’s oil grab now and block any public money from fueling a war-for-oil scheme. Tell Congress: No taxpayer dollars for Big Oil.
Around the world, governments already pour an estimated $7 trillion a year into fossil fuel subsidies, even as climate science makes clear that oil production must rapidly decline. Trump’s Venezuela plan would double down on the worst of that system while dragging the United States into an open-ended conflict driven by corporate greed.
DFA’s history is rooted in opposing wars built on lies and profit motives. From Iraq to now, we have seen what happens when presidents are allowed to bypass Congress, ignore the Constitution, and turn foreign policy into a corporate giveaway. No president gets to wage war, seize resources, and invoice the public without accountability.
There is a real alternative. Congress can reassert its constitutional authority, block oil subsidies outright, and redirect public resources toward climate action, economic justice, and humanitarian support that actually helps Venezuelans without militarization or exploitation. That is what democracy looks like in practice.
Trump wants silence and compliance. What he will get is organized resistance. When Congress hears from enough of us, these backdoor bailouts can be stopped before they begin.
Demand Congress reject Trump’s war-for-oil scheme and block every dollar for Big Oil.
Together, we can stop another disastrous oil-driven intervention and defend democracy at home and abroad.
– DFA AF Team
