U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced Wednesday that the U.S. has recovered $100 million worth of gold from Venezuela. The gold was physically transported back to the U.S. following Burgum's visit to Venezuela earlier this month, where he met with interim President Delcy Rodriguez for 10 hours. The U.S. has not received gold shipments from Venezuela in over 20 years.
The recovered gold will be refined and used for commercial and consumer purposes. Burgum also highlighted the potential for U.S. investment in Venezuela's energy and mineral sectors, noting the country's vast resources, including coal and critical minerals. He described Venezuela's mining industry as collapsed, dominated by artisanal miners and gangs with poor environmental practices.
Burgum also warned that Iran could have targeted Washington, D.C., with intermediate-range ballistic missiles from Venezuela before U.S. intervention. He cited Iran's recent missile launches toward the U.S. military base Diego Garcia, which exceeded previously acknowledged ranges. Burgum accused Iran of misleading international agencies about its missile capabilities.
The Trump administration is cooperating closely with Rodriguez, who served as vice president under former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro was captured in a U.S. military raid in January, though the rest of his regime remains in place. President Trump has been pressuring U.S. oil and gas executives to invest in Venezuela's energy sector, which holds the world's largest crude oil reserves.