Trump Orders Blockade of Venezuelan Oil Tankers

On Tuesday, President Trump announced a total blockade of oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela, branding Nicolás Maduro’s government a foreign terrorist organization. He accused the regime of misappropriating U.S. assets to fund terrorism, human trafficking, and various other illegal activities.

“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest armada in the history of South America,” Trump stated on Truth Social. He projected that this military presence would expand and warned that the effects on Venezuela would be unprecedented. He demanded the return of U.S. oil, land, and other assets that he claims were stolen from the country.

“The illegitimate Maduro regime is exploiting oil from stolen fields to finance narco-terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping,” he continued. He emphasized that Venezuela’s designation as a foreign terrorist organization stems from this theft, along with the regime’s involvement in drug smuggling and other crimes.

Today’s announcement also included a statement regarding illegal immigrants brought into the United States during the Biden administration, suggesting they would be repatriated to Venezuela promptly. “The United States will not tolerate criminals, terrorists, or hostile nations robbing or threatening us,” he declared, insisting that all seized assets should be returned to the U.S.

Additionally, Trump reported the seizure of an oil tanker named Skipper off Venezuela’s coast, heightening tensions between the two nations. Attorney General Pam Bondi clarified that the tanker was suspected of transporting oil under sanction from both Venezuela and Iran.

The administration asserts that the Skipper is part of a fleet of around 1,000 vessels covertly transporting oil from sanctioned nations like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, in violation of international sanctions.