President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that Venezuela could eventually become the 51st U.S. state, telling supporters at a campaign rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, that the South American country could replace its presidency with an elected governor.

Trump made the remarks while discussing improving relations between Washington and Caracas, along with major investments in Venezuela’s oil industry. The comments came as the president promoted his administration’s energy agenda and highlighted a shipment of Venezuelan crude oil arriving in Texas.

“I want to thank Venezuela, where our relationship has become very, very good, a great one,” Trump told the crowd, according to reports from the rally.

The president said billions of dollars were being invested in Venezuela and argued that the country’s oil resources could help make it prosperous.

“It will become a prosperous country, and who knows? Maybe someday soon it will become a prosperous 51st state. That’s possible,” Trump said.

He then repeated the idea more directly, suggesting that Venezuela could hold elections for governor rather than president if it joined the United States.

“Let’s make it the 51st state, and instead of a president, we’ll have an election for governor. How about that?” Trump said.

Trump’s remarks came as his administration highlighted energy cooperation between the two countries. The president said the United States was receiving one million barrels of Venezuelan oil under an agreement and that the crude would be refined at American facilities, including in Texas.

The president has floated the possibility of Venezuelan statehood on previous occasions, including in social media posts and public comments earlier this year. His latest remarks did not include a formal proposal or an announced process for bringing Venezuela into the United States.

Venezuela remains a sovereign country, and joining the United States would require major legal and political changes.