Trump Orders Blockade Of Oil Takers Into Venezuela, Ramping Up Pressure On Maduro

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Huff Post/AP

Dec 16, 2025, 07:20 PM EST


WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is ordering a blockade of all “sanctioned oil tankers” into Venezuela, ramping up pressure on the country’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro in a move that seemed designed to put a tighter chokehold on the South American country’s economy.

Trump’s escalation comes after U.S. forces last week seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, an unusual move that followed a buildup of military forces in the region. In a post on social media Tuesday night announcing the blockade, Trump alleged Venezuela was using oil to fund drug trafficking and other crimes and vowed to continue the military buildup until the country gave the U.S. oil, land and assets, though it was not clear why he felt the U.S. had a claim.

“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform. “It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.”

The buildup has been accompanied by a series of military strikes on boats in international waters in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The campaign, which has drawn bipartisan scrutiny among U.S. lawmakers, has killed at least 95 people in 25 known strikes on vessels.

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ap-us-trump-venezuela_n_6941f58fe4b03e7c8e356319?origin=home-latest-news-unit

[doc03]

1. What happens if that fool blockades a Russian or Chinese taker? nt

[BumRushDaShow]

2. He's trying desperately to generate and control a news cycle

that has suddenly gotten away from him and into another realm, with the Vanity Fair thing and Friday's purported "Epstein Files" deadline.

[Deuxcents]

3. And put us in serious danger dodging his crimes and secrets

[gab13by13]

4. The naval blockade

Is an act of war.

[TexLaProgressive]

12. Yes and without congress declaring war or approving it in any way

[Bev54]

5. Just prior to reading this today, I heard a dem say that some of the Epstein pics they have

Include sexual acts. My immediate thought was Trump is going to rachet up something to get the media to chase squirrels. He will take the country to war if he thinks it will turn heads away from his Epstein scandals that are sure to come out.

[sabbat hunter]

6. Waiting for the GOP

Senate and House to take action against this undeclared war by invoking the War Powers act will have one waiting a very long time. Except for maybe Rand Paul.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. Another war started by a chickenhawk

[Shipwack]

8. Maybe there's another interpretation...

Trump said “sanctioned oil tankers”.

Does that mean all ships that have been declared to be oil tankers, or

Only tankers that have been sanctioned for transporting oil from sanctioned countries such as Iran?

If the former, very worrisome.

If the latter, it’s what he’s already been doing and is ok under international law, no?

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Here is who (above board) imports Venezuelan oil (who I presume would send tankers there, whether own-flagged or other)

(from here - https://www.statista.com/chart/34182/imports-of-venezuelan-oil-by-country/)

[Shipwack]

11. Thank you for information! nt

[LudwigPastorius]

9. "Until...they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they...stole from us."

Oh, I'm sure Trump would return the drill sites, and their output, to Exxon, Conoco, etc. instead of taking them for himself.

[LymphocyteLover]

13. is this part of his Nobel Peace prize dossier?