In a bold declaration of military and economic pressure, President Donald Trump has announced that U.S. forces seized a Russian-flagged oil freighter bound from Venezuela, revealing that accompanying Russian naval vessels chose not to intervene.
Speaking in a Fox News interview, Trump detailed the operation, which is part of a broader U.S. effort to assert control over Venezuelan oil assets following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.
"We've picked up the Russian freighter that was out there," Trump stated. "They had some Russian ships guarding it and they decided not to mess around with us and we took that one, it's unloading the oil."
The confrontation represents a significant escalation in the Western Hemisphere, underscoring the Trump administration's willingness to directly challenge foreign influence—particularly from Russia—in what the President has termed an updated "Donroe Doctrine," reinforcing American primacy in the region.
According to Trump, Russian naval ships escorting the oil vessel withdrew when confronted by U.S. forces, avoiding a potential direct military clash between the two nuclear powers. The seized ship is now offloading its cargo of Venezuelan oil, which Trump said will be sold, with proceeds intended to benefit both the Venezuelan people and the United States.
Trump also revealed plans to meet with executives from the world's top oil companies to coordinate a massive investment—at least $100 billion—aimed at rebuilding Venezuela's crippled oil infrastructure and harnessing what are considered the world's largest proven oil reserves.
The announcement signals a new phase in the U.S. intervention in Venezuela, combining military enforcement with ambitious economic plans to redirect the country’s oil wealth while confronting rival global powers on America's perceived doorstep.
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