Trump designates Venezuelan government terrorist organization, orders blockade on oil tankers

Published December 16, 2025 7:09pm ET



President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of Venezuela and designated Nicolas Maduro’s government a foreign terrorist organization.

Trump made the announcement in a threatening message on Truth Social on Tuesday, boasting that the South American nation was “completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America.” He warned that pressure would only increase and demanded the government “return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.”

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