Trump pledges rapid U.S. aid for Venezuela after deadly earthquakes
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio watches U.S. President Donald Trump speak to the press following U.S. military operations in Venezuela at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 3, 2026.
Jim Watson | Afp | Getty Images
President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed to deploy U.S. resources to quake-hit Venezuela after back-to-back magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 tremors off the country’s northern coast destroyed buildings in the capital Caracas and declared a state of emergency.
“The United States is ready, willing and able to help,” Trump said. Real Social post Wednesday evening in America. The president added that he had instructed all government institutions to prepare to “act quickly” and called the Venezuelan people “new and great friends.”
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Christopher Landau said: early in the day It was stated that the United States is in contact with Venezuelan officials and is mobilizing aid to the South American nation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already taken action disaster relief team and task force Delivering and coordinating critical assistance to Venezuelans, including search and rescue teams, medical supplies and humanitarian resources, according to senior State Department official Jeremy Lewin.
US Geological Survey released two red alerts in a row Through its PAGER system, it estimated there was a 41% chance of deaths exceeding 10,000 and a 17% chance of reaching 100,000. The official also predicted that the devastating earthquake could reduce Venezuela’s GDP by up to 7%.
Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela’s acting president, said: state of emergency in national address According to Reuters, 32 people were killed and 700 injured on Wednesday night.
Rescue teams and municipal police work inside a collapsed building following an earthquake in Caracas on June 24, 2026.
Manaure Quintero | Afp | Getty Images
Earthquakes are among the strongest to hit the country in the last century. Venezuela is located in a seismically active region where the Caribbean Plate meets the South American Plate.
The quick U.S. offer of aid reflects a diplomatic realignment between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan interim government led by Rodriguez. Washington gained control over Venezuela’s oil exports following a military intervention in January that captured the country’s then-president, Nicolas Maduro.
The United States has remained Venezuela’s largest oil buyer since January; The estimated value of U.S.-controlled exports rose to $3.7 billion in April from $600 million in January. It is estimated that $8 billion in flows are channeled through regulation with little transparency or oversight, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. India and Spain are the next biggest buyers.
