US defends Venezuela oil deal as Chevron expands, citing China/Russia expulsion

The Trump administration is publicly justifying its Venezuela oil agreement as a strategic move to displace Chinese and Russian influence from Western Hemisphere oilfields, while Chevron prepares to expand operations. The deal marks a notable reversal of prior US sanctions posture toward Maduro, though its success hinges on Maduro's compliance and the actual scale of Chevron's ramp-up. This signals a shift in US regional strategy, prioritizing energy access and great-power competition over regime-change pressure.