WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wedensday demanded Venezuela return assets that he accused the oil-rich South American nation took from U.S. oil companies years ago.

"They took our oil rights -- we had a lot of oil there. As you know they threw our companies out, and we want it back," Trump told reporters in the White House, referring to Venezuela's nationalization of its oil sector in the 1970s and under President Nicolas Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez.