News imageMore or Less, Trump fact-check: Do the US and Venezuela have 60% of the world’s oil?

More or Less

Trump fact-check: Do the US and Venezuela have 60% of the world’s oil?

26 September 2026

Available for over a year

US president Donald Trump has claimed in a speech to the UN that the US and Venezuela combined now have 60% of the world’s oil.

100% of the team on More or Less were confused.

What measurement was the president using to get to this figure? Barrels of oil produced a day? Reserves of oil in the ground? It’s hard to make any of these stats add up.

To find out whether there was any truth in the claim, we spoke to energy expert Bill Farren-Price of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.

If you spot any numbers you think we should take a look at, email us at moreorless@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producer: Lizzy McNeill

Researcher: Kateryna Pavlyuk

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound Mix: Neil Churchill