Trump Admin Reportedly Preparing To Send Private Military Contractors To Venezuela To Protect Oil Assets

The Trump administration is considering sending private military contractors to Venezuela to guard energy assets in the South American country as it seeks to oversee its industry following the capture of authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro.

Several private security companies are looking to be chosen by the administration should it decide to move forward with the decision, especially considering that the U.S. spent about $138 billion on private contractors during the Iraq War, CNN detailed in a new report.

In fact, the Department of Defense has already put out a Request for Information on contractors about their ability to support U.S. operations in Venezuela. Some are also talking with the State Department's overseas building operations office about a scenario in which the embassy in the country reopens.

One of the companies that could land a contract is Bull Rescue Foundation, a group of U.S. special forces veterans who helped opposition leader Maria Corina Machado escape from the country and make it to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

"Foreign investment comes back, and when it does, it brings a bunch of Navy SEAL dudes and Green Beret dudes and ninjas to keep them alive and safe," Grey Bull founder Bryan Stern told CNN.

Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater, could also be among those getting a contract. The company provided security, logistics and support for oil infrastructure during the Iraq War. However, it was heavily criticized after a deadly shooting of civilians in 2007.

Restarting the country's oil industry is key for the Trump administration's vision for Venezuela following Maduro's capture. The country this week begun reopening oil wells that were shut during a strict embargo as crude exports resumed this week under close U.S. oversight.

Oil exports from the OPEC member had largely stalled since December after intensified U.S. pressure sharply curtailed shipments, leaving millions of barrels stranded in storage. During that period, U.S. oil major Chevron was the only company authorized to export Venezuelan crude under a limited U.S. license.

The restart follows moves by the Trump administration to reshape Venezuela's oil sector after U.S. forces captured Maduro earlier this month. Trump last week outlined plans to refine and sell up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil previously blocked by U.S. measures, while keeping broader sanctions in place and allowing only tightly controlled transactions.

Trump has also sought to attract U.S. investment into Venezuela's energy industry, telling oil executives at a White House meeting that American companies would play a central role in rebuilding infrastructure. U.S. officials say they are coordinating with Venezuela's interim authorities, led by Delcy Rodríguez, while maintaining control over oil sales to preserve leverage.