by WorldTribune Staff, April 28, 2026 Non-AI Real World News
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday announced it is leaving the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after 60 years under the thumb of the global oil cartel.
The UAE's decision to leave OPEC is seen not just as a move towards increasing its oil production but in following U.S. President Donald Trump's game-changing policies on energy independence.
"Trump called it out for exactly what it was, which is a rigged system designed to rip off the American people and the rest of the free world," former U.S. national security adviser Michael Flynn wrote in an April 28
Substack.com analysis.
"Watch the dominoes that fall next, because they will fall quickly," Flynn added. "This development is far bigger than oil. This is the old world order coming apart at the seams, and a new realignment is forming in its place. That realignment is being built on strength, on sovereignty, and on the steady leadership of President Trump, with the American people standing with him."
WAM news, the UAE’s official state-run news agency, said in a statement: “Following its exit, the UAE will continue to act responsibly, bringing additional production to market in a gradual and measured manner, aligned with demand and market conditions. While near-term volatility, including disruptions in the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, continues to affect supply dynamics, underlying trends point to sustained growth in global energy demand over the medium to long term.”
The UAE was OPEC’s third-largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
OPEC's current countries are Algeria, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
Following Trump's order that led to the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in early 2026, the United States has moved to establish control over Venezuela’s oil sales and infrastructure to rehabilitate the nation's energy sector and redirect exports. While Venezuela is a founding OPEC member, its influence has waned due to industry decline, causing it to be exempt from production quotas, thus allowing the U.S. to dominate its operational direction.
The UAE’s departure from OPEC follows major disruptions to energy trade caused by the Iran war, particularly the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, leading to higher oil and gas prices.
The UAE has also announced its decision to leave OPEC+, an alliance between the original 12 OPEC countries and 11 non-OPEC countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan, and Sudan.
Flynn noted: "I want every American to understand what this moment actually means. Energy dominance is national security, and national security is the foundation of American freedom. Every barrel produced outside of an OPEC quota is leverage that returns to the United States. Every fracture inside that cartel is a direct win for American families, American workers, American industry, and American sovereignty."
2026 Contract With Our Readers
