The White House told NewsNation the U.S. is shifting from a largely military posture near Venezuela to an economic campaign aimed at forcing concessions from President Nicolás Maduro. Reuters first confirmed the strategy as U.S. authorities seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela and pursued a third. The Pentagon has also struck vessels it identified as drug traffickers while U.S. officials accuse Maduro of aiding narcotics networks. Officials say sustained disruption of Venezuela's oil trade could cripple the economy and increase pressure on Maduro to negotiate.
US Shifts From Military Posture To Economic Squeeze On Venezuela, White House Says
US focused on squeezing Venezuela economy: Official
A White House official told NewsNation that after deploying significant military assets near Venezuela, the United States is now emphasizing economic pressure intended to extract concessions from President Nicolás Maduro.
What Officials Say
The official, speaking to NewsNation and whose remarks were first confirmed in reporting by Reuters, said the U.S. is targeting Venezuela's oil trade as a primary lever. According to that source, sustained disruption of petroleum exports could drive the Venezuelan economy "to its knees" by the end of January and increase pressure on Maduro to negotiate on a range of issues.
Recent U.S. Actions
Washington has seized two oil tankers it says were tied to Venezuela and is pursuing a third vessel under sanction. At the same time, the Pentagon has carried out lethal strikes on boats it identified as drug traffickers. U.S. officials have publicly accused the Maduro government of assisting narcotics networks — charges the administration cites to justify increased enforcement actions around Venezuelan waters.
Military Posture
The official said President Trump has not publicly specified a final objective for the Caribbean deployment, which reportedly includes an aircraft carrier, 11 other warships, roughly 15,000 troops and more than a dozen F-35 aircraft. U.S. leaders have warned of the possibility of strikes on land and authorized covert intelligence operations directed at Caracas.
Analysts' View: Experts say the combination of a visible military presence, targeted strikes and stepped-up economic measures appears to be a coordinated effort to increase Washington’s leverage over Maduro without mounting a full-scale invasion.
What To Watch
Observers will be watching whether sanctions and maritime enforcement materially disrupt Venezuela’s oil exports, how Maduro responds politically and whether heightened tensions lead to diplomatic shifts, negotiated concessions, or further escalation.
Reporting credited to NewsNation and Reuters. Statements in this article are attributed to U.S. officials and do not represent independent verification of all claims.
