WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration sharply escalated tensions with Venezuela on December 16 after President Donald Trump ordered a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country, framing the move as part of an aggressive campaign against President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump labeled the Maduro regime a “FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION” and claimed Venezuelan oil revenues are being used to finance drug trafficking and other criminal activity. The announcement followed the U.S. seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker last week and a visible buildup of U.S. military assets in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
According to administration officials, hundreds of U.S. troops and naval vessels have been positioned near Venezuelan waters to enforce the blockade. Officials say at least 25 strikes on vessels in international waters have occurred as part of the operation, resulting in 95 reported deaths. The Pentagon has declined to elaborate, referring questions to the White House.
Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said the president intends to maintain maximum pressure until Maduro concedes, a remark that underscored the administration’s confrontational posture. Trump himself warned that Venezuela is now surrounded by what he described as the largest armada ever assembled in the region.
Maduro condemned the blockade as an imperialist attempt to seize Venezuela’s oil, gas, and mineral wealth, accusing Washington of violating international law. Regional leaders and humanitarian groups have raised concerns that the blockade could deepen Venezuela’s already severe economic and humanitarian crisis, while global energy markets are watching closely for broader disruptions.
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