President Trump confirmed that he is not ruling out the possibility of war with Venezuela, escalating the already tense pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro, as reported by The Hill. When asked in an interview with NBC News if war was on the table, Trump gave a very direct answer. He simply said, “I don’t rule it out, no.”
The president wouldn’t elaborate on whether these recent moves could lead to actual conflict, stating only that he doesn’t discuss it. However, the president did offer a cryptic hint about what he expects from the Venezuelan leader. Trump said that Maduro “knows exactly what I want.” This comes after the president confirmed last month that he had spoken directly with Maduro on the phone.
The latest and perhaps most aggressive step in this campaign is the total naval blockade ordered this week. Trump commanded a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers that are trying to enter or exit Venezuela. This is a huge deal because it targets the country’s most vital resource: oil. Just last week, the U.S. seized an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast that the administration claimed was transporting “sanctioned oil” from both Venezuela and Iran.
This is a major escalation, and it’s been months in the making
The Pentagon has positioned the USS Gerald R. Ford, which happens to be the world’s largest aircraft carrier, along with its full carrier air wing, right in the Caribbean. Additionally, flight tracking data showed that two B-1 Lancer bombers departed from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and flew perilously close to the Venezuelan coast. These are not subtle moves. They clearly signal that the U.S. is prepared to back up its threats with significant firepower.
While the blockade is the newest development, the U.S. has also been carrying out military strikes for months on alleged drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean. These operations have regrettably caused more than 100 deaths and are currently under serious congressional scrutiny. The president has also been threatening to carry out land strikes within Venezuela for several weeks now, although he has yet to follow through on that particular threat.
It’s interesting to see this aggressive approach toward Venezuela, because it seems to clash with the image Trump has tried to project during his second term. He frequently cites other conflicts he has helped end and repeatedly tries to position himself as a global peacemaker. When you look at the increasing military positioning and the threat of war looming over Venezuela, it’s awful to see that those peacemaker efforts seem to stop right at the Caribbean border.
The immediate impact of the blockade on oil transport will be massive, and since Trump won’t elaborate on his demands, we’re left waiting to see if Maduro will make a move that satisfies the president’s stated goal.
Published: Dec 19, 2025 02:30 pm