Anthony Scaramucci says Donald Trump’s removal of Nicolás Maduro appeared motivated more by oil and potential personal gain than by narcoterrorism. On The Daily Beast Podcast, Scaramucci recounted advisers emphasizing Venezuela’s massive oil reserves and argued the operation amounted to “imperialism.” He said past presidents preferred sanctions to preserve sovereignty and that he would have opposed the Jan. 3 operation. Scaramucci also predicted many core Trump supporters will rationalize the shift away from campaign promises.
Scaramucci: Trump’s Venezuela Operation Was Driven By Oil and Personal Gain, Not Just Narcoterrorism
Anthony Scaramucci famously lasted only 10 days as White House communications director, and he quickly became a vehement Trump critic. / Bryan Dozier/Variety via Getty Images
Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci told Joanna Coles on The Daily Beast Podcast that Donald Trump’s dramatic removal of Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela appeared motivated far more by access to oil and potential personal enrichment than by the publicly stated narcoterrorism rationale.
“I think Trump looks at this and sees that there’s a possible self-enrichment angle for him,” Scaramucci, 62, said. He described advisers presenting Mr. Trump with stark comparisons of global oil reserves — arguing that Venezuela’s roughly 300 billion barrels of reserves could shift geopolitical leverage if redirected toward U.S. interests.
Trump pitched US oil tycoons on investing in Venezuelan oil on Friday while wearing a pin in his likeness. / SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images
“Somebody went to [Trump]…and said, ‘OK, listen, you’ve got 46 billion or so barrels of known reserves. They’ve got 300 plus. You take them, Canada, US, and we’re roughly 50 percent of the known reserves,’” Scaramucci recalled. “You might be able to change our geo-strategic footprint.”
When asked whether the operation was effectively about reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and gaining access to Venezuela’s oil wealth, Scaramucci replied bluntly: “It’s imperialism, is what it is, yeah. That’s what he’s doing.”
After U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife in a Jan. 3 operation, senior Trump administration officials emphasized a narrative that framed Maduro as the head of a narcoterrorist network. But Scaramucci noted that Mr. Trump repeatedly foregrounded oil prospects in public remarks about the operation — including a Jan. 3 news conference where the president touted U.S. oil companies’ ability to invest in and profit from Venezuela’s energy infrastructure.
Trump has not seemed interested in hyping up Maduro's crimes like administration officials like Marco Rubio. / Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Scaramucci acknowledged the documented problems in Venezuela — including authoritarian governance and drug-trafficking concerns — but argued those issues were long familiar to past U.S. presidents who chose sanctions and diplomatic pressure over direct military action.
“There’s a tremendous amount of drug trafficking and terrorism and terrorist training that comes out of Venezuela,” he said. “And so you would say to yourself, should we do something there or not?” He added that prior administrations often avoided direct intervention out of respect for international norms and sovereignty.
Nicolas Maduro was escorted by heavily armed federal agents after his capture on Jan 3. / XNY/Star Max / GC Images
Having served briefly in the first Trump administration, Scaramucci said he would have counseled against the operation. “I’m a realist, but I will tell you that it was the wrong thing to do,” he said. “If I were in the position to make that decision, I would have never sanctioned that.”
The move has produced friction within the Republican coalition: some supporters criticize the administration for abandoning “America First” and anti‑war promises, while others appear willing to rationalize the departure. Scaramucci predicted many core Trump voters will accept the shift despite earlier pledges.
Trump has promised an
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Spokesman Kush Desai previously dismissed Scaramucci’s remarks as attention-seeking, saying, in part, that Scaramucci was “marveling at the fact that The Daily Beast still takes him seriously.”
New episodes of The Daily Beast Podcast are released on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday; Scaramucci’s comments appeared on the episode with Joanna Coles.
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