President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order Jan. 9 declaring a national emergency to block judicial seizure of Venezuelan oil funds held in U.S. Treasury accounts, a move aimed at advancing U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives.
The order prohibits any court-ordered seizure, attachment, or transfer of designated Venezuelan government funds derived from oil sales or related transactions, placing them under custodial control of the United States pending future sovereign disposition.
According to the Executive Order, allowing private creditors or judicial actions to access those funds would “materially harm the national security and foreign policy of the United States” by undermining efforts to stabilize Venezuela and counter threats linked to illegal immigration, narcotics trafficking, and hostile foreign actors.
The order defines the protected assets as “Foreign Government Deposit Funds,” including oil proceeds tied to the Venezuelan government, its central bank, and state-owned energy company Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. The funds are to be held by the U.S. government strictly in a custodial capacity and may not be used for commercial activity or private claims.
The White House said the measure is necessary to prevent interference with U.S. efforts to counter malign influence from adversarial states and organizations operating in or through Venezuela, including Iran and Hezbollah, and to prevent oil revenue from being diverted in ways that threaten U.S. interests.
The action follows a series of recent U.S. measures targeting Venezuelan oil revenue and sanctions evasion. In December, President Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, citing allegations that oil proceeds were being used to finance terrorism and transnational criminal activity, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Treasury officials have also intensified enforcement actions against Iran–Venezuela cooperation networks. Late last month, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned individuals and entities linked to weapons, missile, and combat-drone production involving Venezuelan state-connected firms and Iran’s defense industry, according to prior Dallas Express reporting.
Under the new order, the Secretary of the Treasury is directed to designate and manage the funds in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Energy. The administration emphasized that the funds remain the sovereign property of Venezuela but are shielded from judicial action to preserve U.S. diplomatic leverage and compliance with international obligations.
The order also asserts that the placement of the funds in U.S. accounts does not constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity and directs federal agencies to oppose any legal efforts seeking access to the protected assets.
Treasury and State Department officials are expected to provide recurring reports to Congress on the national emergency and the administration of the funds.