WASHINGTON, D.C. January 4, 2026 – President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on January 4, emphasized the importance of stable and prosperous countries in the Western Hemisphere, particularly those with significant oil reserves, while issuing sharp criticism of Venezuela and Colombia.
In an audio clip released by the White House Rapid Response account, Trump described the region as “our area” and stressed that the United States has a direct interest in ensuring neighboring nations are “viable and successful.”
“This isn’t a country that’s on the other side of the world,” Trump said. “This isn’t a country like we have to travel 24 hours in an airplane. [Regarding] Venezuela, it’s our area.”
He continued: “We’re in the business of having countries around us that are viable and successful, and where the oil is allowed to freely come out… It gets the prices down. That’s good for our country.”
Trump then turned to the current state of affairs in the region, calling both Venezuela and Colombia “very sick.”
“Venezuela is very sick. Colombia is very sick too, run by the sick man who likes making cocaine and selling [it] into [the] United States,” the president stated. “And he is not going to be doing it for long, let me tell you.”
The remarks appear to reference Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, amid ongoing U.S. concerns over political instability, oil production restrictions, and drug trafficking in Latin America.
The White House has not provided additional context or a full transcript of the press gaggle, but the comments align with Trump’s long-standing “America First” approach to foreign policy in the hemisphere, including previous sanctions on Venezuela and efforts to combat narco-trafficking.
Reactions on social media were swift, with supporters praising the president’s direct language and critics accusing him of inflammatory rhetoric toward democratically elected leaders.
The administration has yet to announce any specific new policy measures in response to the president’s statements.
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