Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a sharp warning to Russia, China and Iran Sunday, declaring the Western Hemisphere off-limits to foreign adversaries.
Rubio made the remarks during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” one day after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a military operation. The secretary pushed back when asked why the U.S. needs Venezuelan oil.
“Why does China need their oil? Why does Russia need their oil? Why does Iran need their oil? They’re not even in this continent. This is the Western Hemisphere. This is where we live,” Rubio said.
The secretary told NBC the U.S. has no interest in Venezuelan crude because America produces enough domestically. However, Washington will not permit adversaries to control the South American nation’s oil industry. (RELATED: ‘It Looks Weak’: Some Democrats Reportedly Displeased With Party’s Response To Venezuela Operation)
🚨 HOLY SMOKES. In an incredible moment, Sec. Marco Rubio declares the Western Hemisphere is OURS, Russia, China and Iran must GET OUT
WELKER: Why does the US need Venezuelan oil?!
RUBIO: “Why does CHINA need their oil? Russia? Iran? This is the West, THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE.”🔥… pic.twitter.com/ZJU6L2BkNo
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 4, 2026
“They are not going to come from outside of our hemisphere, destabilize our region in our own backyard and us have to pay the price for it. Not under President Trump,” Rubio said.
Rubio also pointed to Venezuela’s migration crisis as a regional threat. He told NBC that 8 million Venezuelans fled the country since 2014 in what he called “the single largest mass migration probably in modern history.”
Brazil and Colombia fear another mass exodus could follow, according to Rubio.
The comments supports President Donald Trump’s December 2025 National Security Strategy, which introduced the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine. That strategy prioritizes American dominance in the Western Hemisphere and calls for removing foreign influence from the region, according to the Brookings Institution.
