US-Russian crew blasts off for International Space Station

Two American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut are on their way to the International Space Station.

U.S. astronauts Andrew Feustel, top, and Richard Arnold, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev members of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), wave near the rocket prior the launch of Soyuz MS-08 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. (Vyacheslav Oseledko/Pool Photo via AP)

A Soyuz rocket carrying the three men blasted off Wednesday from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch pad in Kazakhstan. On board the capsule were NASA astronauts Drew Feustel and Ricky Arnold, and Roscosmos' cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev.

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, centre, U.S. astronauts Richard Arnold, right, and Andrew Feustel, members of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), walk to report to members of the State Committee prior the launch of Soyuz MS-08 space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, pool)

The spacecraft is set to dock at the orbiting outpost on Friday.

The Soyuz-FG rocket booster with Soyuz MS-08 space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station, ISS, blasts off at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. The Russian rocket carries Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, and U.S. astronauts Richard Arnold and Andrew Feustel. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

The trio will join station residents Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The new crew will spend about five months at the space station.

In this photo taken with long time exposure the Soyuz-FG rocket booster with Soyuz MS-08 space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station, ISS, blasts off at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 21, 2018. The Russian rocket carries Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, and U.S. astronauts Richard Arnold and Andrew Feustel. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is “inclined” to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela after its top executive was skeptical about oil investment efforts in the country after the toppling of former President Nicolás Maduro.

“I didn’t like Exxon’s response,” Trump said to reporters on Air Force One as he departed West Palm Beach, Florida. “They’re playing too cute.”

During a meeting Friday with oil executives, Trump tried to assuage the concerns of the companies and said they would be dealing directly with the U.S., rather than the Venezuelan government.

Some, however, weren’t convinced.

“If we look at the commercial constructs and frameworks in place today in Venezuela, today it’s uninvestable,” said Darren Woods, CEO of ExxonMobil, the largest U.S. oil company.

An ExxonMobil spokesperson did not immediately respond Sunday to a request for comment.

Also on Friday, Trump signed an executive order that seeks to ensure that Venezuelan oil revenue remains protected from being used in judicial proceedings.

The executive order, made public on Saturday, says that if the funds were to be seized for such use, it could “undermine critical U.S. efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Venezuela.” Venezuela has a history of state asset seizures, ongoing U.S. sanctions and decades of political uncertainty.

Getting U.S. oil companies to invest in Venezuela and help rebuild the country’s infrastructure is a top priority of the Trump administration after Maduro's capture.

The White House is framing the effort to “run” Venezuela in economic terms, and Trump has seized tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, has said the U.S. is taking over the sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned Venezuelan crude, and plans to control sales worldwide indefinitely.

Kim reported from West Palm Beach, Florida.

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)