U.S. President Donald Trump and Acting President Delcy Rodríguez [AFP=Yonhap News]

U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed a plan to pursue Venezuela's reconstruction in a "profitable" direction, based on control over its oil resources.

In an interview with The New York Times (NYT) released on the 8th (local time), President Trump stated that the United States will "operate" Venezuela in the future, extracting crude oil based on its vast oil reserves, and claimed that Venezuela's interim government is doing everything the U.S. needs.

"We will rebuild Venezuela in a very profitable way," President Trump said. "We will use the oil, we will bring in the oil."

He added, "We are driving down the price of oil, and we will also provide funds that Venezuela desperately needs."

The Trump administration had previously disclosed its plan to indefinitely secure most of Venezuela's exported crude oil, sell it directly, and then "distribute" the profits to Venezuela.

President Trump mentioned that his country has already secured Venezuela's sanctioned crude oil and started generating revenue for the U.S., but acknowledged that reviving Venezuela's dilapidated oil industry might take time.

Oil tankers docked at a pier of Venezuela's state-owned oil company PDVSA [AFP=Yonhap News]

President Trump further predicted that the current situation, where the U.S. maintains military pressure while politically controlling Venezuela, would last for a considerable period.

When asked if the current situation could last for more than a year, he replied, "Much longer."

In addition, President Trump emphasized that the cooperative relationship with Venezuela's interim government, led by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, is being well maintained.

"They are treating us with a great deal of respect," he said. "They are giving us everything that we feel we need."

When asked if he had spoken directly with Acting President Rodríguez, he avoided a direct answer, stating, "Mike (Secretary of State Pompeo) is always talking to her. I can tell you that we are in continuous communication with her and with that administration."

Regarding the question of whether U.S. troops could be redeployed if any situation arises in Venezuela, he also refused to answer, saying, "I don't want to say that," while adding, "We are getting along very well with the administration that is there right now."

Meanwhile, regarding the "Firm Resolve" operation to arrest President Maduro, President Trump revealed that a training facility replicating the complex in Caracas where President Maduro was staying had been created at a military facility in Kentucky, and explained that he had observed the infiltration troops' training process.

President Trump also expressed concern that the operation to arrest President Maduro might end in a "Jimmy Carter disaster."

The "Jimmy Carter disaster" he referred to is the failed attempt by the U.S. military on April 24, 1980, to rescue 52 American hostages held in Iran.

During the interview, President Trump spoke for about an hour with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who called him. NYT reporters listened to the conversation between the two leaders on the condition of not reporting it. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary Pompeo were present during the call.

In the call, President Petro explained the situation regarding coca cultivation farms in Colombia and the drug cocaine manufacturing facilities being smuggled to the U.S. Following the call, the threat of immediate U.S. military action targeting Colombia appeared to have subsided, the NYT reported.

Immediately after the call, President Trump announced on his social media Truth Social account that "President Petro called to explain the disagreements between the two countries, including drug issues," and stated that he had invited him to the U.S.