On January 9, 2026, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order declaring a national emergency to protect Venezuelan oil revenue held in U.S. Treasury accounts. The action aims to prevent these funds from being subject to attachment or judicial processes, preserving them to support U.S. foreign policy goals related to Venezuela.

The move follows the recent U.S. military operation that apprehended Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro last week, amid broader efforts to address narcoterrorism, illegal immigration, and regional instability linked to the Maduro regime.

Details of the Executive Order

The order specifically targets Foreign Government Deposit Funds, defined as Venezuelan oil revenues and proceeds from diluent sales held in U.S. Treasury accounts.

Key provisions include:

• Blocking any attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process against these funds.
• Prohibiting transfers or dealings in the funds except as explicitly authorized.
• Superseding any prior orders that might otherwise block or regulate these assets.
• Affirming that the funds constitute sovereign property of Venezuela, held in U.S. custody for governmental and diplomatic purposes, and therefore not subject to private claims.

Advancing U.S. National Security and Foreign Policy Objectives

The White House described the order as a measure to prevent the seizure of these revenues, which could undermine U.S. efforts to promote economic and political stability in Venezuela.

According to the fact sheet, allowing attachment of the funds would jeopardize objectives such as:

• Stemming the influx of illegal aliens.
• Disrupting the flow of illicit narcotics, which has contributed to thousands of American deaths.

Loss of control over the revenues could also empower malign actors, including Iran and Hezbollah, while hindering initiatives to achieve peace, prosperity, and stability for the Venezuelan people and the broader Western Hemisphere.

The protection of these funds is presented as reinforcing U.S. compliance with international obligations and advancing diplomatic goals.

Broader Context of Administration Actions

The Executive Order aligns with a series of steps taken by the Trump administration to confront threats from the Maduro regime.

These include:

• Designating eight cartels, including Tren de Aragua, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) on Day One of the administration.
• Authorizing lethal force against narcoterrorists to halt the flow of deadly drugs.
• Imposing a total blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.
• Offering multiple opportunities for Maduro and his regime to change course, with clear demands to end drug trafficking.
• Conducting a military operation last week to bring Maduro to justice in support of law enforcement efforts.

The fact sheet emphasizes that it is in the U.S. national interest to be surrounded by safe, secure, and stable countries, with these actions reestablishing deterrence in the Western Hemisphere.

By safeguarding the oil revenues, the administration stated that President Trump is promoting stability in Venezuela while advancing “America First” priorities: stopping illegal immigration, blocking deadly narcotics, and countering malign foreign influence.