United States President Donald Trump has said he is not ruling out the possibility of war with Venezuela, raising the prospect of a further escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against the South American nation as his administration expands military and economic measures in the region.
“I don’t rule it out, no,” Trump said in a phone interview on Friday.
The comments followed Trump’s order to impose what he described as a “blockade” on sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela, a move aimed at tightening pressure on the government of President Nicolás Maduro. The United States has also recently seized an oil tanker near Venezuelan waters.
Administration actions in the region have already resulted in 28 boat strikes that have killed more than 100 people, according to officials, including an incident described as a “double tap” strike that is now under congressional scrutiny.
When asked whether such actions could lead to war, Trump initially declined to elaborate, saying, “I don’t discuss it,” before later acknowledging that the risk exists. Pressed further, he confirmed that war remains a possibility and said additional tanker seizures are planned.
Asked when those seizures might occur, Trump said, “It depends. If they’re foolish enough to be sailing along, they’ll be sailing along back into one of our harbors.”
Trump declined to state explicitly whether removing Maduro from power is his ultimate goal. “He knows exactly what I want,” Trump said. “He knows better than anybody.”
The remarks represent a notable shift in tone for Trump, who has previously sought to distance himself from more hawkish Republicans and campaigned in 2024 on keeping the United States out of foreign conflicts. After winning the election, he said he was “not going to start a war; I’m going to stop wars.”
The administration has defended its actions by saying the strikes targeted alleged drug-trafficking boats and by accusing Venezuela of using oil revenues to finance what officials have termed “drug terrorism.”
Trump’s comments on Venezuela came during a broader discussion of domestic policy following his national prime-time address on Wednesday night, in which he defended his economic agenda amid ongoing voter concerns about the cost of living.
During the address, Trump announced a $1,776 “warrior dividend” for nearly 1.5 million members of the US military, timed to commemorate the nation’s founding nearly 250 years ago. He said recipients would begin receiving the payments soon.
“Very soon — I would say within the next few days, it’ll all be out,” Trump said, adding that the funds would come from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and tariff revenue. “We’re making so much money with tariffs that we are able to do that and have plenty left over,” he said.
A senior administration official said the one-time bonus will cost about $2.6 billion and will be paid using military housing funds authorized in the One Big Beautiful Bill, which Trump signed in July. The legislation allocated $2.9 billion over two years to reduce out-of-pocket housing costs for service members. A Senate appropriations source said the funds will come from that allocation rather than tariffs, and that the Defense Department opted for a one-time payment instead of a permanent housing benefit.
Trump also addressed health care, criticizing what he described as “gigantic health insurance companies that have gotten rich on billions of dollars of money that should go directly to the people.”
He argued that Americans should be allowed to buy their own health insurance, which he said would provide better benefits at lower cost.
Millions of Americans who receive coverage through the Affordable Care Act are expected to face sharp premium increases next year after House Republicans declined to vote on extending subsidies. Trump said he does not believe repealing the law, commonly known as Obamacare, is necessary.
“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 told NBC News.
Trump said he has no plans to unveil a broader health care proposal. “As far as I’m concerned, I rolled it out last night,” he said, calling his approach a simple plan that would direct money to individuals rather than insurers.
Looking ahead to November’s midterm elections, Trump acknowledged the high stakes for Republicans, who could face investigations and political setbacks if they lose control of Congress. Asked whether he believes Republicans will retain both chambers, he said, “I think so. I certainly hope so.”
