The World Just Changed Overnight -- $17.3 TRILLION!

Getting missed in all the discussion today about Maduro is the economic aspect of this, which should not be ignored.

This is massive and I believe we don’t fully know all the implications yet, but the United States is now “running” Venezuela which means the USA is in control of 303 billion barrels of crude oil reserves, plus countless more billions in the ground.

President Trump says American oil companies will start pumping out the oil much faster.

President Trump famously said he would have never gotten into Iraq, but if we were there he would not have left without the oil.

He also said in his Press Conference this morning that reparations will be made to all the people who were stolen from, implying quite clearly that the USA is top on that list:

WATCH: President Trump’s FULL Press Conference and Q&A After Arresting Maduro

Well, we now have the oil.

And at present market prices, those 303 barrels are currently worth $17.3 trillion!

No, I don't expect the USA to just take all of it, but how much could this pay down our National Debt?

Eliminate OUR Federal Income Taxes?

And we all know that with AI, the #1 asset and really ONLY asset that will matter in the future is Energy, and we just picked up a whole lot of energy!

Folks, the world just changed overnight and the impact and reverberations are not even beginning to be felt or understood right now. But mark it down, this just completely changed the game on the world stage.

This is absolutely insane:

Venezuela currently has 303 billion barrels of crude oil reserves, which Trump says the US now controls.

Oil prices are trading at ~$57/barrel, making Venezuela's total reserves worth $17.3 TRILLION.

Even if the US sells this oil for HALF of the…

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) January 3, 2026

This is absolutely insane:

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Venezuela currently has 303 billion barrels of crude oil reserves, which Trump says the US now controls.

Oil prices are trading at ~$57/barrel, making Venezuela's total reserves worth $17.3 TRILLION.

Even if the US sells this oil for HALF of the market rate, that's still $8.7 TRILLION.

In other words, in 12 hours, the US has gained control of oil reserves worth more than the entire GDP of ALL countries in the world, aside from the US and China.

That's 4 TIMES larger than the GDP of Japan.

Most people do not realize how much the world just changed.

Oil markets will react to this news for the first time on Sunday at 6 PM ET.

The next few days will be critical.

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In one picture:

In case you don't realize what just happened:

Venezuela holds the LARGEST oil reserves in the world, at 300 billion barrels.

The US is now "running" Venezuela with large US oil companies moving in, according to Trump.

The US now controls the largest oil reserve in the world. pic.twitter.com/cpBfZpTWC6

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) January 3, 2026