The Trump administration is facing criticism for its actions against Venezuela, including the seizure of oil tankers and strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats, amid concerns of escalating tensions and potential conflict.Brian Fonseca, director of the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University, said, “If the United States wanted to invade Venezuela, they could have probably done it months ago. I think this slow escalation of pressure is designed to try to get the regime to fracture, have the military say, ‘Hey, we’re not going to fight the Americans, so let’s go seize Miraflores and take power and then transition something in the future.'”Over the weekend, U.S. forces stopped an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in less than two weeks, and on Monday, a third oil tanker was pursued by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Defense Department, under President Donald Trump’s orders, has continued its campaign against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, resulting in at least 105 people killed in 29 known strikes since early September.Some lawmakers have voiced concerns that the Trump administration is starting a conflict that could lead to an all-out war without authorization or input from Congress. “My biggest fear is this is exactly how wars start and how conflicts escalate out of control,” said Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.On Monday, the president made an announcement that the administration is stepping up its efforts again on Venezuela. Trump said the Navy will be building battleships that will be armed with hypersonic missiles, nuclear cruise missiles, rail guns, and high-powered lasers. These are all technologies that are in various stages of development by the Navy.“They’ll be the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built,” Trump said. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who also serves on the House Armed Services Committee said this innovation is about stepping up the U.S.’s shipbuilding capabilities. “We need to have and build new classes of ships that are going to be up to the task of the new threats that are emerging every single day,” Gimenez said. “I don’t care what they’re called. I only want them to be lethal and I want us to build them as fast as we can because we’re falling way behind.”Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:
The Trump administration is facing criticism for its actions against Venezuela, including the seizure of oil tankers and strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats, amid concerns of escalating tensions and potential conflict.
Brian Fonseca, director of the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University, said, “If the United States wanted to invade Venezuela, they could have probably done it months ago. I think this slow escalation of pressure is designed to try to get the regime to fracture, have the military say, ‘Hey, we’re not going to fight the Americans, so let’s go seize Miraflores and take power and then transition something in the future.'”
Over the weekend, U.S. forces stopped an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in less than two weeks, and on Monday, a third oil tanker was pursued by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Defense Department, under President Donald Trump’s orders, has continued its campaign against alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, resulting in at least 105 people killed in 29 known strikes since early September.
Some lawmakers have voiced concerns that the Trump administration is starting a conflict that could lead to an all-out war without authorization or input from Congress.
“My biggest fear is this is exactly how wars start and how conflicts escalate out of control,” said Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.
On Monday, the president made an announcement that the administration is stepping up its efforts again on Venezuela.
Trump said the Navy will be building battleships that will be armed with hypersonic missiles, nuclear cruise missiles, rail guns, and high-powered lasers. These are all technologies that are in various stages of development by the Navy.
“They’ll be the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built,” Trump said.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who also serves on the House Armed Services Committee said this innovation is about stepping up the U.S.’s shipbuilding capabilities.
“We need to have and build new classes of ships that are going to be up to the task of the new threats that are emerging every single day,” Gimenez said. “I don’t care what they’re called. I only want them to be lethal and I want us to build them as fast as we can because we’re falling way behind.”
Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:
