Trump designates Venezuela government a ‘terrorist’ regime, orders blockade of sanctioned oil tankers
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday stateside designated Venezuelan government a “terrorist” organization and ordered a “complete and total” blockade of sanctioned oil tankers moving in and out of the country.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said “Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America.”
“For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” Trump said.
He added, “It [the blockade] will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before.”
Venezuela labeled Trump’s statement “grotesque,” saying his action “violates International Law, free trade and free navigation, which constitutes a serious threat against a sovereign nation,” calling the blockade “absolutely irrational,” according to a Google translation of Venezuelan media reports.
According to the U.S. State Department, designating an entity as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” makes it illegal for any U.S. citizen to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to such an organization, among other measures.
Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, told CNBC that a full embargo of Venezuelan oil would affect 800,000 to 900,000 barrels of oil per day, which could increase prices by about $2 to $3 per barrel.
Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/17/trump-orders-blockade-of-sanctioned-venezuelan-oil-tankers.html