President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he may keep Exxon Mobil out of Venezuela’s oil sector, calling the company’s response to his push for U.S. producers to return “too cute.” Trump’s remarks followed a White House meeting where Exxon CEO Darren Woods labeled the country “uninvestable” unless it reforms commercial terms, legal protections and hydrocarbon law. Woods said Exxon would send a technical team to evaluate assets if the Venezuelan government provided durable foreign‑investment safeguards. The oil giant left Venezuela after the 2007 nationalization that also seized ConocoPhillips holdings.

Shares of XOM slipped about 1.1 % in pre‑market trading on Monday, reflecting investor uncertainty over the president’s stance. The episode revives a long‑standing dispute over how U.S. firms can re‑enter a market plagued by sanctions, political risk and a struggling economy. Analysts will watch whether Trump’s comments translate into policy changes that could reopen one of the world’s largest proven‑oil reserves to American capital.