‘Smart for Maduro to Step Down,’ Says Trump as US Pursues Sanctioned Oil Tanker Near Venezuela

'Smart for Maduro to step down': Trump as US pursues Venezuelan oil Tanker

President Donald Trump said Monday the United States is still chasing an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast, over 24 hours after the pursuit began, while urging Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to relinquish power.

"It's moving along and we'll end up getting it," Trump said.

The vessel, identified as Bella 1, was sailing toward Venezuela to load oil when US Coast Guard personnel attempted to board it on Sunday. The ship refused to stop and continued sailing in international waters.

Trump claimed the ship "came from the wrong location, it came out of Venezuela," though the tanker was actually heading toward the country when intercepted.

US authorities say Bella 1 is under American sanctions for links to Iranian oil and is part of a "shadow fleet" used to transport crude from sanctioned countries. A judicial warrant has been issued for the vessel's seizure.

Venezuela has labelled the action "an act of piracy" and accused Washington of attempting to seize its energy resources and topple the government.

This is the third tanker interdiction off Venezuela this month, part of a massive US naval buildup in the Caribbean as Trump intensifies pressure on Maduro, including efforts to cut off oil revenues.

When asked about his endgame in Venezuela, Trump declined to provide specifics but issued a stark warning.

"There's no answer. He can do whatever he wants. We have a massive armada — the biggest we've ever had, and the biggest we've ever had in South America," Trump said. "He can do whatever he wants. It's all right, whatever he wants to do. If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it'd be the last time he's ever able to play tough."

Asked directly whether he's trying to force Maduro from power, Trump responded, "Well, I think it probably would. I can't tell that. That's up to him what he wants to do. I think it'd be smart for him to do that."

Trump, who ordered a "complete" blockade of sanctioned tankers traveling to and from Venezuela last week, said the US will retain oil seized during interdictions.

"We're going to keep it," Trump said. "Maybe we'll use it in the Strategic Reserves – we're keeping it. We're keeping the ships also," he added.

The president revealed he has spoken with American oil companies whose assets were seized in Venezuela about what a post-Maduro scenario would look like.

Justifying the aggressive approach, Trump accused Venezuela of sending criminals and illegal immigrants across the US border.

"Look, Venezuela did terrible things to the United States," Trump said. "Hundreds of thousands of people, millions of people, into our open border. They sent their criminals, they sent their prisoners, they sent their drug dealers, they sent their mentally insane and incompetent people into our country, more than any other country."

Trump blamed the previous administration for the border crisis. "We just let them come right in because we were run by a stupid president," Trump added. "But you don't have a stupid president anymore."

While the White House has officially framed the increased Caribbean military presence as an anti-drug operation, Trump's latest comments suggest regime change may be a central objective.