Donald Trump’s chilling THREAT to Venezuela after seizing its oil tankers
Surrounded by his top national security aides, Donald Trump took aim at Venezuela again amid the bitter row over its oil tankers, at least two of which the US has seized off the Venezuela coast
Tyrant Donald Trump has delivered a fresh warning to Venezuela as he steps up efforts to interdict oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea.
The US President, 79, had said he wanted to stop the flow of illegal drugs from the South American nation but, in recent weeks, his pressure campaign has become far more brutal. His administration has seized at least two oil tankers off the Venezuela coast, and today Mr Trump suggested he targets more of the vessels.
When Nicolás Maduro, President of Venezuela, hit back at the world leader last week, it appeared to rile the Republican. Today, he expressed further anger as the feud escalated. Taking a break from his holiday in Florida, Mr Trump said: “If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’ll ever be able to play tough.”
Mr Trump issued the harrowing warning as he was surrounded by his top national security aides, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he had announced plans for the Navy to build a new, large warship.
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The US Coast Guard continues to chase another oil tanker the Trump administration has described as part of a “dark fleet” Venezuela is using to evade US sanctions. The tanker, according to the White House, is flying under a false flag and is under a US judicial seizure order.
Speaking of this operation, bullish Mr Trump said: “It’s moving along and we’ll end up getting it.” His vow comes after a Panama-flagged vessel called Centuries was seized on Saturday. US officials said this was part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet.
With support from the US Navy, the Coast Guard seized a sanctioned tanker named Skipper on Wednesday December 10. The vessel, registered in Panama, is part of what US officials again described as a “shadow fleet” operating on the edges of the law to transport sanctioned oil.
Following that first seizure, former President Donald Trump said the United States would impose a “blockade” on Venezuela, repeating his claim that Mr Maduro’s time in power is limited. Last week, Mr Trump renewed that stance, demanding the return of assets Venezuela seized from US oil companies years ago and citing the demand as further justification for blocking sanctioned tankers traveling to or from the country.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department oversees the Coast Guard, said Monday on Fox & Friends that the tanker seizures are meant to send a global message. She said the actions signal that “the illegal activity that Maduro is participating in cannot stand,” adding that the US will defend its people and that “he needs to be gone.”
