House Democrats launch probe into Trump officials and oil companies

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: MS NOW

Jan. 9, 2026, 4:45 PM EST


House Democrats on Friday launched a probe into possible conflicts of interest following the U.S. military incursion into Venezuela last weekend, seeking to learn whether Trump administration officials or oil companies have or will benefit from the situation.

Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee, led by ranking member Robert Garcia, D-Calif., on Friday sent letters to the chief executives of four major oil companies — Chevron, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and Continental Resources — ahead of a meeting with oil executives at the White House that afternoon.

Democrats requested the businesspeople provide information to help lawmakers determine “who stands to privately or personally benefit from President Trump’s actions and whether corrupt motives were a driving force in U.S. foreign policy decision.”

The letter comes amid mounting criticism and confusion on Capitol Hill — including from some Republicans — about how exactly Trump plans to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure and what companies will be investing in the effort. Trump has said the U.S. likely would be running Venezuela and extracting its oil for years, despite doubts from some executives about the feasibility of such a plan.

Read more: https://www.ms.now/news/democrats-oil-companies-trump-investigation-venezuela

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Link to House Oversight Democrats PRESS RELEASE - Ranking Member Robert Garcia, All Oversight Democrats, Launch Investigation Into Trump Administration’s Communications with Oil Companies in Takeover of Venezuela

Link to LETTER (inquiry) (PDF) - https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/imo/media/doc/20260109letter_to_usoilandgasexecutivesrevenezuela.pdf

[Lovie777]

1. Venezuela's crude oil...............

American oil companies cost for refining it?

Will that cost trickle down on to us?

[AcanthaV]

2. Iraq 2.0: The 'WMD' Charade Is Gone, Now It's Just a Blatant Oil Grab

Here we go again. It’s a page straight out of the 2003 playbook, but this time they aren’t even bothering with the 'WMD' charade. Sending letters to Exxon and Chevron is a critical first step by the Oversight Committee. We need to expose the backroom deals made before the first boots hit Venezuelan soil. The hypocrisy of the 'America First' crowd supporting a blatant neocolonial oil grab is staggering. It was never about democracy; it was always about the resources.

[Skittles]

3. hey wait a minute

"DRUGS" replaced the "WMD charade" - that's the "reason" they gave for blowing up the fishermen before the oil grab

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Problem is

the whole "oil situation" is so different from the Poppy & Shrub era. Why? Fracking!



Even if Saudi went full bore (which they aren't currently but had threatened to do when they were doing their "price war" against Russia back in March/April 2020), we could still outproduce due to the fracking (with the infrastructure currently in place).

I found this interesting video graphic a few years ago that tracked the changes of the global oil production over the decades since 1970 -

(am guessing this represents ALL products from the extractions of crude including LNG, etc)

[TBF]

6. So I think ultimately the minerals in Venezuela may be more interesting -

I know from living in Houston that the oil companies here have been burned by Venezuela in the past (their view), I think it's going to take a lot to get them involved again. And, yes, I think Trump will lean on them.

I also think it's a handy diversion - no one is talking about Epstein anymore & that is clearly his kryptonite.

[Bayard]

5. Aren't most wars ultimately started for corporations and politicians benefit?

One hand greases the other.

[truthisfreedom]

7. Look into the mineral wealth. Who wants the rare earths?

The oil is nasty. The oil companies are not offering to invest. What is really at play? What drugs was he interrupting and why? Who wanted to sell more drugs in Europe and western Africa? Who benefited from all of these actions? If Trump is focused on talking about the oil, the real reason for the invasion is hidden in the smoke screen.