Trump wants to annex Venezuela: I want to make the state of 51st.

In an interview for Fox Nea's John Roberts, Trump stated that his desire to add another star to the American flag relates to the quantities of oil reserves Venezuela possesses, which the head of the White House said is worth 40 trillion dollars.

Trump has made earlier statements about annexing or taking control of other sovereign territories, including Canada, Greenland, Panama, and Cuba. His latest comments came after the military operation conducted in January for the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

According to reports, White House officials have developed continued contact with authorities in Caracas for agreements with American energy and mining companies, while the US aims to strengthen ties with interim President Delcy Rodríguez. The latter stated that her country does not plan to become part of the United States, stressing that the Venezuelans want their independence and sovereignty.

Despite his statements, Trump cannot legally declare Venezuela as the 51st state of the United States without the US Congress' approval and without Venezuela's consent. Meanwhile, the United States has increased military presence in the Caribbean region, dislocating one of the largest sea fleets in recent decades.