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As Interior Secretary Doug Burgum described how increasing Venezuelan oil production could help lower gas prices for Americans, President Donald Trump weighed in with a different priority (1):
“Forget it: when are they going to make the statue?”
The moment, which went viral online, came during a cabinet meeting in which officials were discussing how increased Venezuelan oil production could flow to U.S. refineries, potentially easing prices at the pump.
It also comes at a time when Venezuela is undergoing a dramatic transformation following the kidnapping of longtime leader Nicolás Maduro, backed by the United States.
Before the disruption, Burgum was laying out what could be a major economic breakthrough.
After visiting Venezuela in early March, he described a country eager to rebuild its oil sector and reconnect with global markets, including the United States.
According to Burgum, “their oil production… is increasing toward a 50% increase just in the three months we’ve been here. That flows into American refineries on the Gulf Coast, lowering the price of gas in the United States,” he added just before being cut off.
Read more: I’m almost 50 years old and I have no retirement savings. Is it too late?
To Trump’s credit, Burgum was the first to introduce the idea of a Trump statue into the conversation.
“I literally think they’re going to put a statue up for President Trump. And I’m not saying it’s not a political statement. It’s a real thing,” Burgum said earlier in the meeting.
Following Maduro’s ouster in early 2026, Venezuela’s new government acted quickly to reopen its oil sector to foreign investment and reestablish ties with the United States (2).
This is a significant change for a country that has the largest proven oil reserves in the world but has struggled for years with declining production (3).
Under the Maduro government, oil production plummeted from about 3 million barrels per day in 2013 to around 500,000 barrels per day in 2020, weighed down by sanctions, mismanagement and lack of investment (4).
Now, with the return of American companies and the reactivation of infrastructure, production is beginning to recover. This has implications far beyond Venezuela’s borders.
Venezuela is not just another oil producer: it is one of the most resource-rich energy countries in the world, despite its small presence in the energy market (5).
When its production increases, it will add supply to global markets. In simple terms, increased supply can put downward pressure on oil prices.
When fuel costs go down, transportation becomes cheaper. That translates into a drop in shipping costs and takes the pressure off companies to raise prices to make a profit.
This is important because oil prices are closely linked not only to what you pay at the pump, but also to what you pay for everything that needs to be transported. These are groceries, consumer goods, etc.
In that sense, even modest changes in oil supply can have a significant impact on everyday expenses.
Still, it’s not that simple.
Even with rising production, oil markets are determined by a wide range of factors, including geopolitical tensions, global demand and political decisions.
That means greater supply doesn’t always translate into immediate savings for consumers.
Markets can be volatile. Prices can fluctuate and results can change quickly. For investors, that uncertainty is often the bigger story.
Even if increasing oil supply eventually helps lower gas prices, markets don’t always respond the way we want.
That’s why some investors look beyond traditional stocks and bonds when uncertainty rises.
A traditional hedge is gold, which has historically maintained its value during periods of economic uncertainty and inflation.
Physical gold, in particular, is often seen as a way to protect purchasing power when currencies weaken or markets become volatile.
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Real estate is another asset class that tends to attract attention in times of uncertainty.
Unlike commodities, income-producing properties can generate cash flow and benefit from rising rents over time.
Rental properties have long been a proven source of stable, passive income for high net worth investors. It’s no surprise that real estate makes up almost 25% of a typical family office’s portfolio.
However, the time, effort and costs involved in managing and maintaining multiple properties prevent many from investing. So unless you’re a hedge fund titan or an oil baron, you’ve been locked out of one of the most profitable corners of the market.
That’s where the tycoon comes into play. This real estate investment platform offers fractional ownership in prime rental properties, providing investors with monthly rental income, real-time appreciation, and tax benefits, without the need for a large down payment or 3 a.m. tenant calls.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team of moguls curates the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. Simply put, you can invest in institutional quality offerings at a fraction of the usual cost.
Each property undergoes a vetting process that requires a minimum 12% return, even in negative scenarios. In general, the platform has an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Meanwhile, its cash-on-cash returns average between 10% and 12% annually. Offers usually sell out in less than three hours, and investments usually range between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.
Each investment is secured by real assets and does not depend on the viability of the platform. Each property is held in a separate Propco LLC, so investors own the property, not the platform. Blockchain-based fractionation adds a layer of security, ensuring a permanent and verifiable record of each share.
Getting started is quick and easy. You can register for an account and then browse available properties. Once you verify your information with their team, you can invest like a tycoon with just a few clicks.
For those who stick with stocks, having access to high-quality data can make all the difference when markets are volatile.
Moby offers expert research and recommendations to help you identify solid long-term investments backed by advice from former hedge fund analysts.
Over four years, and across nearly 400 stock picks, their recommendations have outperformed the S&P 500 by nearly 12% on average. They also offer a 30-day money back guarantee.
The Moby team spends hundreds of hours sifting through financial news and data to bring stock and cryptocurrency reports directly to you. Their research keeps you up to the minute on market changes and can help you reduce the guesswork behind choosing stocks and ETFs.
Plus, its reports are easy to understand for beginners, so you can become a smarter investor in just five minutes.
Moments like this can be easy to dismiss as political theater. But they are happening in a context of real economic change.
A single policy change can disrupt global supply chains, move commodity prices, and affect financial markets in ways that directly affect household budgets.
In this case, the potential return of Venezuelan oil to global markets could influence everything from gas prices to inflationary trends. But as history shows, those results don’t always play out in predictable ways.
That’s why many investors focus less on trying to forecast a single outcome and more on creating portfolios that can withstand a variety of scenarios.
Whether that means holding hard assets like gold, generating income through real estate, or using data to make more informed stock decisions, the goal is often the same: stay adaptable in a world where headlines and markets can change quickly.
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Forbes (1); AP News (2); News Week (3); Phenomenal world (4); Visual Capitalist (5)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
