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U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington expects to maintain oversight of Venezuela and its vast oil resources for an extended period, signaling a prolonged American role in the country’s governance and energy sector. In an interview with The New York Times, Trump declined to specify an end date for U.S. involvement but indicated it could last much longer than a year, stressing that American efforts would be “profitable” and strategic.

Trump said the United States plans to rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry, extract and market crude oil, and use associated revenues to support both Venezuelan and U.S. economic interests. His administration is reportedly coordinating with Venezuela’s interim government on refining and selling up to 50 million barrels of previously blocked crude.

Asked whether U.S. oversight might be measured in months or years, Trump replied, “I would say much longer,” leaving the timeline open-ended.

The comments come amid ongoing debate over the scope and legality of U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s political and energy affairs, both domestically and internationally.