Energy · 2026-09-22
The U.S. and Venezuela together controlled over 60% of world oil reserves
False
Trump said that combining U.S. and Venezuelan oil would account for more than 60% of the world’s oil.
What the evidence shows
Even counting the full estimated Venezuelan reserves alongside U.S. proved reserves yields roughly 22% of the global total, according to the AP analysis.
What happened next
Assessment reflects the cited reporting and data available at the time; check for subsequent revisions.
Assessment notes
Editorial paraphrase, not a verbatim quote. Assessment concerns the narrow claim stated here. Where an exact speech date is not established, the date is an approximate month placeholder.