Trump denies report that golfing buddy is carving up Venezuela for himself in frantic post

President Donald Trump denounced one of his purported golfing buddies who's being credited with steering U.S. efforts to revive Venezuela's oil industry.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday night that energy magnate Harry Sargeant III, who the paper described as a 68-year-old former Top Gun pilot and sometimes Trump golfing partner, was perhaps the only American businessman with ties to the U.S. president and recently deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

"Sargeant is now in position to be the latest of the president’s allies to reap a windfall based on his second-term policies and actions," the Journal reported.

"Trump is pressing U.S. firms to move in fast as his aides work to loosen the sanctions restrictions that were imposed on Venezuela during his first administration," the report added. "Many U.S. companies are nonetheless proceeding cautiously, wary of investing huge sums until the country’s politics are stabilized and a legal framework is in place for foreign companies ... Sargeant, though, isn’t waiting. He met in person last week in Caracas with Maduro’s longtime deputy and economic manager Delcy Rodriguez, to discuss plans to get his businesses up and running."

The 79-year-old Trump denied the Journal's claims about Sargeant's efforts in Venezuela since U.S. forces removed Maduro and handed him over to U.S. law enforcement to stand trial on narcoterrorism and firearms charges.

"Relations between Venezuela and the United States have been, to put it mildly, extraordinary!" Trump posted Thursday morning on Truth Social. "We are dealing very well with President Delcy Rodriguez, 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," the president added. "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. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP."