Trump's Stance on Venezuela
In a recent conversation with NBC News, President Donald Trump indicated he is not eliminating the chance of military engagement with Venezuela. "I don’t rule it out, no," he stated during the call.
Earlier this week, the President directed a blockade against oil tankers subject to sanctions that are traveling to or from Venezuela, intensifying the pressure on its leader, Nicolás Maduro. This follows a recent U.S. seizure of another vessel near Venezuelan waters.
The administration's actions have reportedly involved numerous maritime incidents resulting in over a hundred casualties, including a controversial "double tap" strike currently under review by Congress.
When questioned if these measures might escalate to war, Trump initially responded, "I don't discuss it." However, upon further inquiry, he confirmed the potential for conflict and mentioned plans for additional tanker seizures. Regarding timing, he remarked, "It depends. If they’re foolish enough to be sailing along, they’ll be sailing along back into one of our harbors."
Trump avoided specifying whether removing Maduro from power is his objective, simply noting, "He knows exactly what I want. He knows better than anybody."
Policy Context and Domestic Announcements
This admission is notable given Trump's previous efforts to distance himself from aggressive foreign policy stances within his party and his 2024 campaign pledge to avoid new international wars. After his election victory, he declared, "I’m not going to start a war; I’m going to stop wars."
The White House justifies the strikes by alleging they target drug trafficking operations, accusing Venezuela of using oil profits to support "drug terrorism."
In a separate national address focused on economic issues, Trump unveiled a "warrior dividend" of $1,776 for approximately 1.5 million military personnel, commemorating the nation's founding. He told NBC that distributions would begin "very soon" and be financed through legislative measures and tariff revenues. "We're making so much money with tariffs that we are able to do that and have plenty left over," he explained.
An official clarified that this one-time bonus, costing about $2.6 billion, would be sourced from military housing funds allocated by recent legislation, not tariffs. A Senate source added that the Defense Department opted for a single payment to avoid setting a lasting precedent.
Healthcare and Political Outlook
During his speech, Trump also criticized major health insurance companies, accusing them of profiting excessively. "They get billions and billions of dollars a year, and we’re not going to let that happen," he asserted. He advocated for individuals to purchase their own insurance, claiming it would offer "far better benefits at much lower cost."
He dismissed the need to formally repeal the Affordable Care Act, suggesting it would become obsolete due to high expenses. "I don’t have to do anything, because Obamacare would just repeal itself automatically because nobody’s going to want to use it. Too expensive," he said, adding that he has no immediate plans to introduce a comprehensive healthcare proposal.
Looking ahead to the midterm elections, Trump expressed optimism about Republican prospects in maintaining control of Congress. When asked if the party would retain both chambers, he responded, "I think so. I certainly hope so."
