Richard Grenell, once appointed by President Donald Trump as the special envoy to Venezuela, has found himself at the center of a brewing controversy. His decision to fly to Antigua on an unauthorized mission to recover Air Force veteran Joe St. Clair, who was detained by Venezuelan authorities for six months, has sent ripples through Washington. The rescue, announced by Grenell via a photo on social media, showcased him and St. Clair on a jet en route to the nation's capital on Tuesday.
An administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, informed The Post that both President Trump and his White House staff were caught off guard by Grenell's actions. "He blindsided the president and the White House," the source disclosed, casting a shadow over the operation's legitimacy. Records revealed that the jet used for this mission is tied to Bill Stone, CEO of SS&C Technologies, but attempts to reach Stone for a comment remained unsuccessful.
The underpinning motive behind Grenell's daring venture appears to be related to the impending expiration of Chevron's Venezuelan oil import license, set to lapse on May 27. Grenell's actions seem to have been an attempt to force President Trump's hand in renewing this license. However, the matter has generated significant tension within Congress, particularly among South Florida Republicans. Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart, María Elvira Salazar, and Carlos Giménez initially withheld their support for Trump's legislative initiative, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," over the license's potential extension. Despite their initial resistance, the bill narrowly passed with their eventual support, by a vote of 215–214.
The context of these events is rooted in Trump's firm stance on Venezuela. In February, the president revoked all U.S. business licenses connected to Venezuela, citing illegitimate elections and unmet deportation agreements. Through his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump later announced the reversal of Biden-era concessions to Maduro's regime over failed promises related to oil and elections. In March, Trump further tightened the screws by imposing a 25% tariff on nations importing Venezuelan oil.
Before his unsanctioned trip, Grenell had appeared on Steve Bannon's "War Room" podcast, claiming that Trump would be open to extending Chevron's license for 60 days if there was cooperation from Maduro. He framed St. Clair's release as a sign of progress that could lead to such an extension. Grenell also touted Chevron's role in countering Chinese influence in Venezuela, packaging it as a strategy to "put America first." Yet, his comments sowed confusion and led to a scramble for clarification from the State Department.
In a response to the unfolding events, spokesperson Tammy Bruce stressed that the administration's position on Venezuela is dictated by Secretary Rubio and President Trump, not individual envoys like Grenell. The official policy remained that the Chevron license would expire as planned, unless officially stated otherwise. A statement from the State Department emphasized the current administration's alignment with Trump's directives, aiming to cut off funds to Maduro's regime, which has been accused of electoral theft, exploitation of its people, and collusion with adversaries.
As the dust settles, questions linger over the implications of Grenell's actions, both politically and diplomatically. The incident not only highlights the complexities of U.S. policy towards Venezuela but also underscores the delicate balance of power and communication within the government.
