Jack Reed: “Just to try to, in my own mind, at least, clarify, these contracts were approved by FHFA, not by the Department of…”

President Trump has been explicit about his desire to extract Venezuela's oil," Reed said in a statement.

His administration removed Nicolás Maduro from power, threw its weight behind the unelected leadership that replaced Maduro, and is now attempting to use U.S. military assets and taxpayer-backed financing to boost a private oil venture.

The President has waged this war without public support or congressional consent, and it is far past time for accountability.

Six months later, not a single objective has been achieved. Indeed, he has weakened our position in the Middle East and the world significantly.