Patriot Brief
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What Happened: Trump ordered a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela.
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Why It Matters: The move cuts off funding Trump says Maduro uses for drugs, trafficking, and terrorism.
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Bottom Line: Trump is signaling zero tolerance for hostile regimes and a hard reset on American strength abroad.
President Donald Trump escalated pressure on Venezuela Tuesday, ordering a full blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of the country, calling it a necessary move against what he described as a criminal, terrorist regime.
In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump said Venezuela is now surrounded by overwhelming U.S. naval power and warned the situation will only intensify.
“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump wrote. “It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before.”
Trump accused the illegitimate Maduro regime of stealing U.S. assets and using oil profits to bankroll drug terrorism, human trafficking, kidnapping, and murder. He said those actions justified decisive military and economic pressure.
“The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using Oil from these stolen Oil Fields to finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping,” Trump said, adding that Venezuela has been designated a foreign terrorist organization.
The president made clear that the blockade is total.
“Today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” he wrote.
Trump also tied the move to border security, blaming the Biden administration for allowing criminals sent by Maduro to flood into the United States. He said those individuals are now being rapidly deported.
“The Illegal Aliens and Criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration, are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace,” Trump said.
Trump closed by demanding the immediate return of all oil fields, land, and assets he says were stolen from the United States, making it clear America will no longer tolerate hostile regimes exploiting weakness.
Photo credit: White House Gallery