Trump authorizes aid as deadly Venezuela earthquakes kill at least 164

Twin earthquakes struck off the northern coast west of Caracas, killing at least 164 people and injuring more than 1,000 by the next morning. The first quake measured about magnitude 7.2, and a larger magnitude 7.5 shock followed roughly 39 seconds later, leaving Caracas’s Simón Bolívar International Airport closed and prompting red PAGER alerts from the U.S. Geological Survey.

President Trump authorized $150 million in aid for Venezuela. The State Department is sending a regional Disaster Assistance Response Team with two urban search-and-rescue teams, while a Washington task force is being assembled to coordinate aid, assess needs and help Americans in Venezuela. The package includes $50 million in new bilateral awards for World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Catholic Relief Services, International Medical Corps, the International Organization for Migration and the World Food Programme, along with a $100 million contribution to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ Venezuela pooled fund. U.S. military aircraft and personnel are also helping move supplies and people.

Washington and Venezuela’s interim authorities agreed in March 2026 to re-establish diplomatic and consular relations, and a June 18 State Department statement welcomed talks on a roadmap for democratic transition. Trump described the relationship as a “great joint venture,” while U.S. officials have been working on energy and mining deals and broader commercial ties beyond oil.

The U.S. Geological Survey warned the death toll could ultimately range from 10,000 to 100,000, and the United Nations had mobilized 25 international teams with 1,000 personnel. Since 2017, the United States has provided more than $2.8 billion in Venezuela-related relief, and in February it airlifted more than 6,000 kilograms of priority medical supplies as part of a stabilization and transition plan.