Trump issues order to protect Venezuelan oil revenue from judicial seizure

US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order protecting proceeds from the sale of Venezuelan oil held in US Treasury accounts from judicial seizure.

The order was published on the White House website, per Caliber.Az.

According to the document, the possibility of arrest or legal action against deposit funds belonging to foreign governments constitutes an extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.

“Specifically, the attachment or the imposition of other judicial process against the Foreign Government Deposit Funds will substantially interfere with our critical efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Venezuela,” the order states.

Under the executive order, any attachment, court ruling, order, lien, enforcement action, seizure of funds, or other judicial proceedings—except in cases explicitly authorised—are prohibited and deemed null and void.

This action follows a dramatic shift in U.S.-Venezuela relations in early January 2026, triggered by a U.S. military operation on January 3-4 that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas. The raid, which killed dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban security personnel, led to Maduro's extradition to face U.S. drug-trafficking charges, which he denied.

The U.S. has since positioned itself as a key player in Venezuela's transition, working with interim authorities to stabilise the country, halt illegal immigration and narcotics flows, and counter influence from actors like Iran, Hezbollah, Russia, and China.

By Khagan Isayev