WASHINGTON, August 6. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump, speaking in a suburb of Las Vegas, Nevada, described Venezuelan oil as a trophy won by the United States.

"Billions and billions of barrels of oil is coming out of Venezuela. It's one of the most fertile places for oil in the world," the White House chief said. He also called the military operation in Caracas a "48-minute war." During the mission, US troops captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and took them out of the country.

According to Trump, the United States acted "the old-fashioned way" and gained many times more from Venezuelan oil than it spent on the operation. "To the victor belong the spoils," he added. Trump also cited estimates indicating that the United States and Venezuela together hold 60% of the world’s oil and gas reserves.

On January 3, the United States attacked civilian and military facilities in Venezuela, captured the country’s president and his wife, and removed them from the nation. They appeared before the US court for the Southern District of New York on January 5. They face charges related to drug trafficking. Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty. Delcy Rodriguez, who served as Venezuela’s executive vice president under Maduro, is performing the duties of head of state.