We eliminated 35,000 Russians in December, 30,000 in January.

Our strategy is working.

I’m a liberal, so I don’t believe in protectionism because, in the long term, I think it is best for our companies if they are truly competitive.

If we make ourselves stronger, then our products are competitive and we don’t need protection.

That being said, we also have to deal with the economic practices coming from China that greatly damage our companies.

First, stop the war. War is bad for business. Look for peace.

Second, don’t send your money to somebody else if you need it for your competitiveness. So don’t send the money to Ukraine.

Third, reduce and cut back energy prices as much as you can. That’s so simple.

We cannot be dependent on anyone. In fact, we probably never should have been.

We should never have been dependent on Russian oil and gas.

It is also wrong that we have made ourselves dependent on China for new technology.

China and the United States have become protectionist.

Others protect their markets and dump products on ours.

Nicolás Maduro is the legitimate President of Venezuela.

They are both, President Maduro and Cilia Flores, the First Lady, are both innocent.

I have proposed, and Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude.

A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue.

The fact that we have problems in our society is something obvious and undeniable.

The fact that Israel and foreigners are waiting to exploit and steer our problems is an undeniable reality for anyone with political vision and insight.

The very people who were fueling these situations were Netanyahu and Trump. Do they truly want to solve our country's problems?

Honestly, besides them creating problems for this nation, has anyone else caused such trouble?

They have blocked all paths for us, they don’t let any transactions be made, and they sabotage every initiative we try to implement to keep us from standing on our feet.

Then they tell some people, "We want to save you," after having created these painful problems for us.

We are at fault; there’s no doubt about it. But we are all at fault.

Anyone who tries to distance themselves from responsibility is being unfair—whether they are reformists, principlists, or anyone else making claims.

Relations between Venezuela and the United States have been, to put it mildly, extraordinary! We are dealing very well with President Delcy Rodríguez, and her Representatives.

Oil is starting to flow, and large amounts of money, unseen for many years, will soon be greatly helping the people of Venezuela.

Marco Rubio, and all of our Representatives, are doing a fantastic job, but we speak only for ourselves, and don’t want there to be any confusion or misrepresentation.

There is a story about a man named Harry Sargeant III in The Wall Street Journal. He has no authority, in any way, shape, or form, to act on behalf of the United States of America, nor does anyone else that is not approved by the State Department.

Without this approval, no one is authorized to represent our Country.

I have just concluded a short but important visit in Washington, in a conversation with our great friend, Trump.

The President believes that the Iranians have already learned who they are dealing with.

I believe that the conditions he is creating, combined with the fact that they certainly understand they made a mistake the last time by not reaching an agreement, may create the conditions for achieving a good agreement.

He wanted to hear my opinion. I will not hide from you that I expressed general skepticism regarding the quality of any agreement with Iran.

But I said that if an agreement is indeed reached, it must include the elements that are very important to us — from Israel’s perspective — and in my view, not only Israel’s.

It is not just the nuclear issue; it is also the ballistic missiles and the Iranian proxies.

That essentially concluded the discussion, I would say, although it of course also touched on Gaza, the entire region, and other general matters.