Benzinga·2026-01-05 03:33Core Viewpoint - The U.S. foreign policy under President Trump regarding Venezuela appears to prioritize commercial interests, particularly access to the country's significant oil reserves, rather than purely humanitarian or justice-related motives [2][6]. Group 1: U.S. Foreign Policy and Oil Interests - Richard Haass indicated that Trump's decision to intervene in Venezuela is heavily focused on securing access to oil, with Trump mentioning Venezuela's oil reserves "83 times" during a press conference [2]. - The Trump administration is expected to facilitate investments from American oil companies to restore Venezuela's oil infrastructure, which has suffered from years of mismanagement and sanctions [2][4]. - Haass described the U.S. foreign policy under Trump as uniquely transactional, emphasizing that commercial interests are paramount in decision-making [6]. Group 2: Market Reactions and Stock Performance - U.S. oil and gas companies with exposure to Venezuela experienced significant stock price increases, with Chevron Corp. rising by 10.36% and Halliburton Co. increasing by 14.19% [7]. - Valero Energy Corp., which has refineries well-suited for Venezuelan crude oil, saw its stock rally by 9.19% [8]. - The SPDR Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF also showed positive movement, up 2.14% on Friday and an additional 1.66% overnight [8].