President Donald Trump floated making Venezuela the 51st U.S. state during a campaign rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday, raising the idea while celebrating a shipment of Venezuelan oil.
In his remarks at the rally, Trump said Venezuela would become a prosperous country before adding: “Who knows, maybe someday soon it will become a prosperous 51st state. That’s possible. Let’s make it. Let’s make it the 51st state.”
“And instead of a president, we’ll have an election for a governor. How about that?” he continued.
Trump returned to the suggestion moments later while addressing oil executive Harold Hamm. “No, let’s make it, Harold, the 51st state. Do you like that? I do. I do,” he said.
The remarks were a suggestion from the campaign stage, not an announcement that Venezuela had become a U.S. state. Under Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the power to admit new states. A president’s remarks do not themselves change a country’s status.
Trump tied the comments to energy supplies, pointing toward a ship he said held 1 million barrels of Venezuelan oil. He described the shipment as being provided at “zero cost to the American taxpayer” and said the oil would be refined in Texas, including Corpus Christi. Those were the president’s claims at the rally.
Separately, North America Blue Energy Partners said its first 1 million-barrel cargo under the U.S.-Venezuela agreement had arrived in Texas and that the initial cargo was provided at no cost to the United States. That company announcement concerned the first shipment, not a claim that all future Venezuelan oil would be free.
Trump’s statehood suggestion was distinct from the oil-delivery announcement. His quoted remarks did not lay out a legislative plan or a timetable for admitting Venezuela.
JBizNews Desk | Corpus Christi, Texas
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