Trump takes decisive action, ordering oil tanker blockade to confront Venezuela and protect U.S. interests.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a decisive blockade of all “sanctioned oil tankers” entering or leaving Venezuela, signaling a major escalation in the United States’ campaign to dismantle narcotics trafficking networks and hold the Maduro regime accountable.

The move follows last week’s successful U.S. operation to seize a Venezuelan oil tanker and comes amid an expanded American naval presence in the Caribbean. Trump said the action targets a regime that has long used oil revenues to fund drug trafficking, corruption, and criminal enterprises that threaten U.S. national security.

In a statement posted on social media, Trump emphasized that the United States has assembled an unprecedented naval force in the region to enforce sanctions and protect American interests. He vowed to maintain pressure until Venezuela ends its illicit activities and returns assets he says were wrongfully taken from the United States.

The Trump administration says the operation has already delivered results, preventing large quantities of drugs from reaching U.S. shores and disrupting criminal supply routes. Officials have defended the campaign as lawful, targeted, and necessary to save American lives.

Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, recently confirmed that the president remains determined to keep up pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, whom the administration views as a destabilizing force in the region. The strategy aligns with Trump’s broader policy of confronting hostile regimes and restoring U.S. strength abroad.

Venezuela, despite holding the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has relied on smuggling networks to bypass sanctions since 2017. Trump’s blockade aims to shut down those illegal channels and force meaningful change.

(AP)