Trump says he may exclude Exxon from Venezeula energy sector over CEO's 'uninvestable' comment

US President Donald Trump on Sunday signaled frustration with ExxonMobil after the oil giant's CEO described Venezuela as "uninvestable," suggesting he might bar the company from future US-backed involvement there.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, DC, Trump criticized CEO Darren Woods' response to his push for investment by US firms in Venezuela's vast energy sector.

"I didn't like Exxon response," Trump said, referring to Woods' comment during a Friday meeting where the president hosted the executives of several oil and gas companies at the White House to discuss investment opportunities in the South American country.

"I'll probably be inclined to keep Exxon out. I didn't like their response. They're playing too cute."

During the meeting, Trump said the companies would spend at least $100 billion in Venezuela to "very rapidly rebuild (its) dilapidated oil industry."

However, Exxon's Woods said Venezuela was currently "uninvestable," pointing to the company's past experiences of asset seizures. "We've had our assets seized there twice, and so you can imagine to re-enter a third time would require some pretty significant changes from what we've historically seen here," Woods said at the meeting.

The US carried out a military operation in Venezuela on Jan. 3, capturing its President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. Trump said his administration would "run" Venezuela and its oil assets during a transition period.

On Friday, Trump had said that he cancelled a second wave of military attacks on Venezuela, citing improved cooperation from its interim .

A US team of diplomatic and security personnel traveled to Caracas to assess the possibility of resuming operations at the US Embassy.