First US sale of Venezuelan oil goes to Vitol: Its trader donated to Trump’s re-election campaign
FP News Desk • January 16, 2026
The first US sale of the Venezuelan crude oil was to a company whose senior member had donated to US President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. The sale was conducted last week to a company called Vitol, The Financial Times reported. Interestingly, John Addison, a senior trader at Vitol, donated $6 million to political action committees backing Trump’s re-election campaign.
He also attended the meeting Trump had with oil executives at the White House and was also involved in his company’s efforts to secure a $250 million deal for Venezuelan crude. The deal kick-started the S president’s controversial plan to sell up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil.
First US sale of Venezuelan oil goes to Vitol: Its trader donated to Trump’s re-election campaign – Firstpost
Deal details:
$500 million to startThe White House and sources from the U.S. Department of Energy announced the completion of the first sale of Venezuelan oil reserves (seized or controlled following recent events in Caracas), totaling $500 million. Washington plans to sell between 30 and 50 million barrels. The sale was conducted at $50 per barrel, a price Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed is 30% higher than what the previous Maduro government was achieving.
Beneficiaries:
Vitol, Trafigura, and millions in donationsThe Financial Times revealed that the two companies chosen to carry out the sales were commodity trading giants Vitol and Trafigura. Texas businessman John Addison, owner of Vitol, has emerged as a major political donor to Trump, having contributed nearly $6 million to pro-Trump political action committees. He also participated in a closed-door meeting at the White House last week with energy executives, where he pledged to Trump that his company would secure the “best possible price” for Venezuelan oil for the United States. As a result, his company won a $250 million deal to purchase Venezuelan crude oil. Trafigura, which received a similar share ($250 million), has reportedly spent lavishly on lobbying and political pressure activities in Washington over the past two years.
Sales mechanism and legal controversy
The two companies purchase oil from the US government and resell it to their customers worldwide. The proceeds are deposited into a bank account in a Gulf state (reports indicate Qatar) under US government supervision. While White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers described these deals as “historic” and in the best interests of both the American and Venezuelan people, legal experts have raised questions about the legality of Washington selling another country’s sovereign resources and controlling the revenue. They also described the move as violating established international norms.
America sells Venezuelan oil worth 500 million |
