The White House has ordered U.S. military forces to focus almost exclusively on enforcing a so-called “quarantine” of Venezuelan oil for at least the next two months, signaling that the Trump administration is doubling down on economic warfare, rather than direct military action to squeeze the regime in Caracas.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the directive reflects the administration’s belief that sanctions and oil interdictions can force rapid concessions from Venezuelan leadership.
“While military options still exist, the focus is to first use economic pressure by enforcing sanctions to reach the outcome the White House is looking for,” the official said.
President Donald Trump has been publicly vague about his endgame in Venezuela, but has privately pressured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to flee the country. Earlier this week, Trump said it would be “smart” for Maduro to step aside.
According to the U.S. official, the administration believes the pressure campaign is nearing a breaking point.
“The efforts so far have put tremendous pressure on Maduro, and the belief is that by late January, Venezuela will be facing an economic calamity unless it agrees to make significant concessions to the U.S.,” the official said.
Drug Claims, Strikes, and Covert Operations
Trump has repeatedly accused Venezuela of flooding the United States with illegal drugs. His administration has for months carried out airstrikes against vessels originating in South America that U.S. officials claim were transporting narcotics. Those operations have drawn sharp international criticism, with multiple countries condemning them as extrajudicial killings.
The president has also frequently threatened to bomb drug infrastructure on land and has authorized covert CIA activity aimed at destabilizing the Maduro government.
So far this month, the U.S. Coast Guard has intercepted two tankers in the Caribbean Sea, both carrying Venezuelan crude oil. The White House official’s comments followed reports that the Coast Guard is awaiting additional forces to carry out a third seizure involving an empty sanctioned vessel known as the Bella-1, first attempted on Sunday.
Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, responded bluntly.
“The threat is not Venezuela,” Moncada said Tuesday. “The threat is the U.S. government.”
Massive Military Buildup in the Caribbean
The administration has not spelled out what it means for the military to focus “almost exclusively” on oil interdiction. While the U.S. military operates across the globe, most of its missions and assets are not designed for maritime enforcement.
Still, the Pentagon has assembled a formidable force in the Caribbean: more than 15,000 troops, an aircraft carrier, 11 additional warships, and over a dozen F-35 fighter jets. While some of those assets can assist with enforcing sanctions, others particularly fighter aircraft, are poorly suited for oil interdiction missions.
On Tuesday, the United States told the United Nations it would impose and enforce sanctions “to the maximum extent” to deprive Maduro of financial resources.
Earlier this month, Trump ordered what he called a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. However, the White House’s use of the term “quarantine” appears deliberate, echoing language from the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. At the time, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara explained that the Kennedy administration avoided the word “blockade” because it was legally considered an act of war.
U.N. experts on Wednesday condemned the oil blockade, warning that such action is recognized under international law as “illegal armed aggression.”
For the Trump administration, however, the message is clear: Venezuela’s oil lifeline is now the front line and the pressure campaign is only intensifying.
