President Donald Trump’s grand plan to pay for his Venezuelan intervention with oil revenue has hit a wall of corporate skepticism. In a high-stakes White House meeting, the CEO of ExxonMobil told the President to his face that the South American nation is currently "uninvestable."

Trump had summoned oil executives to pitch a $100 billion (KES 13 trillion) investment plan to revive Venezuela’s rusted infrastructure, promising them "total safety" under the protection of US Marines. He envisions flooding the market with cheap Venezuelan crude to lower gas prices for American voters.

"Fool Me Twice"

Exxon CEO Darren Woods was blunt. "We have had our assets seized there twice," he reportedly said, referring to the nationalizations under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. "To re-enter a third time would require changes we just don't see yet."

• The Infrastructure Rot: Decades of mismanagement and sanctions have left PDVSA (Venezuela's state oil company) in ruins. Pipelines are leaking, and refineries are offline. Repairing them isn't just about money; it takes years of stability—something a military occupation rarely guarantees.
• Chevron’s Role: Chevron, the only US major that stayed in Venezuela, remains cautious. While they stand to benefit most, they are wary of being caught in the crossfire of a potential guerrilla war.
• Trump’s Leverage: Trump hinted that he would "pick the winners," effectively threatening to lock out companies that don't play ball. "The United States gets even lower energy prices," he insisted, ignoring the corporate risk assessments.

Economic Realism vs. Political Will

The standoff highlights the limits of political power. Trump can topple a government, but he cannot force a board of directors to burn cash in a war zone. For now, Venezuela’s oil wealth remains trapped underground, guarded by soldiers but untouched by drills.