Trump on Venezuela: It may become the 51st US state “soon”

US President Donald Trump hinted, on Tuesday, that Venezuela might “perhaps soon” become the 51st US state, in the context of his promotion of the idea of ​​Venezuelan oil flowing to the United States, at a time when American voters are suffering from high fuel prices. “It's going to be a boom state, and who knows, maybe sometime soon, it's going to be a boom state — the 51st state,” Trump told a crowd in Corpus Christi, Texas.

He added: “Let’s make it the fifty-first state, and instead of having a president, we will hold elections to choose a governor.” Earlier on Tuesday, Trump announced that Venezuela had sent as a “gift” one million barrels of oil to the United States.

Ofoq News reached out to the White House for comment. Trump told the crowd in Corpus Christi: “See that little ship over there?

It's carrying a million barrels of oil from Venezuela, and we're celebrating the biggest oil victory in history. As they say, the spoils go to the victor, right?

Trump also praised the American operation in Venezuela that took place earlier this year, considering that it contributed to increasing American oil supplies. He said: “This historic victory gives us control over a huge portion - the largest portion - of the global oil supply. We possess more oil than any other country, more than the sum of all other countries combined, and this oil will be refined here in Texas, including here in Corpus Christi.”

The US President put forward this idea at a time when Republican Party candidates are facing the challenge of rising fuel costs as Election Day approaches. The price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline rose by 40% compared to what it was a year ago, while diesel prices rose by about 75%.