Overview: The Trump administration is pursuing an incremental pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro that includes a tanker blockade, seizures of oil, sanctions and strikes on vessels. Officials say the goal is to choke off the regime’s revenue sources — oil, drugs and illegal gold — and ultimately force Maduro from power. New options being considered include strikes on small aircraft and expanded cyberoperations, but critics warn the public rationale is muddled and legal experts question the legitimacy of current tactics.
Trump Turns Up the Squeeze on Maduro: Blockades, Seizures and New Escalation Options
President Donald Trump’s recent blockade of oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast underscores his administration’s current approach to Nicolás Maduro: intensify isolation through incremental pressure rather than launch a full-scale invasion. Officials familiar with the strategy — four people who spoke on the condition of anonymity — say the ultimate objective remains removing Maduro from power.
What the Administration Has Done
According to officials, the campaign is aimed at cutting the regime’s revenue streams — oil, drugs and illegal gold — by using a mix of sanctions, law-enforcement actions and limited military strikes. In recent months, U.S. forces have carried out airstrikes against roughly two dozen small vessels alleged to be transporting narcotics, actions U.S. officials say have killed nearly 100 people. The White House has also imposed fresh sanctions on Maduro’s inner circle, designated gangs and cartels linked to the regime as terrorist organizations, and authorized covert Central Intelligence Agency activity inside Venezuela.
Last week, U.S. agents intercepted and boarded an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, rappelling from a helicopter onto the deck in footage circulated by U.S. officials; the oil aboard was valued at about $10 million, the president said. A newly announced tanker blockade suggests the administration may pursue additional seizures.
New Tactics Under Consideration
Officials say the White House is weighing further measures to tighten pressure, including expanded strikes on small aircraft suspected of moving drugs out of western Venezuela and stepped-up cyber operations targeting state assets such as the state oil company PDVSA. The administration argues photographic or other remote evidence could provide legal justification for strikes on aircraft, though legal and policy experts have questioned the legality of prior actions against boats.
Political and Legal Pushback
Critics argue the public rationale for the campaign has become muddled. While senior officials frame the actions as aimed at "stopping narco-terrorists," others in the administration appear focused on regime change and even on seizing assets tied to Venezuela’s oil industry. Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and President Trump have both suggested that reclaiming oil concessions is part of the calculation, language that some analysts say blurs the stated counter-narcotics rationale.
“Whether they meant to or not, the White House has raised expectations to the point that there is no easy off ramp,” a U.S. official familiar with internal discussions said. “At the same time, Maduro is pretty stubborn and he knows the U.S. can get easily distracted. Maduro is playing for time while Trump is playing to win.”
Expert Views And What Comes Next
Analysts note Venezuela is not the largest source of illegal drugs entering the United States compared with other countries, and question whether the campaign’s emphasis on oil or immigration aligns with its stated narcotics aim. Former Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass said a clear presidential address explaining the rationale and legal basis for any further military actions is overdue.
With backchannel diplomacy showing little success, officials warn the stepped-up pressure may still fail to compel Maduro to step down — potentially raising the prospect of limited military strikes on Venezuelan soil. The administration’s next moves will shape whether the strategy remains a calibrated squeeze or evolves into a broader confrontation.
