President Donald Trump convened senior national security officials Monday at Mar-a-Lago as tensions with Venezuela intensified and U.S. enforcement actions expanded in the Caribbean. The meeting coincided with stepped-up Coast Guard operations targeting sanctioned oil tankers linked to Nicolás Maduro’s regime. The White House described the gathering as leading to a “major announcement,” underscoring the seriousness of the moment.
The event in West Palm Beach included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Navy Secretary John Phelan. President Trump, currently vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago residence, is expected to highlight a new shipbuilding initiative. A White House official confirmed the focus but declined to comment publicly due to authorization limits.
The meeting unfolded against the backdrop of an expanding pressure campaign aimed at the Venezuelan government under President Nicolás Maduro. The administration initially framed the campaign around stopping the flow of illegal narcotics from Venezuela but has increasingly linked enforcement actions to broader national security and sanctions compliance objectives.
In the Caribbean, the U.S. Coast Guard continued pursuing a sanctioned oil tanker for a second consecutive day. U.S. officials described the vessel as part of Venezuela’s so-called “dark fleet,” operating under a false flag to evade sanctions. The tanker is reportedly subject to a U.S. judicial seizure order. This action follows Saturday’s seizure of the Panama-flagged vessel Centuries, identified by U.S. authorities as part of the same shadow network.
Earlier this month, the Coast Guard, with Navy assistance, seized another sanctioned tanker, Skipper, also registered in Panama. After that operation, President Trump publicly stated that the United States would enforce a “blockade” against Venezuela’s sanctioned oil trade. The administration has since reiterated that position while demanding the return of assets seized from U.S. oil companies in prior years.
International concerns have grown alongside U.S. enforcement actions. According to a European intelligence official, Russia’s Foreign Ministry began evacuating families of diplomats from Venezuela on Friday. The evacuations reportedly include women and children, with Russian officials assessing conditions in the country in increasingly dire terms. Neither the White House nor the Kremlin issued immediate responses to requests for comment.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem addressed the tanker interdictions during an appearance on Fox & Friends, stating the actions are intended to send a global message that Maduro’s illegal activities will not be tolerated. The Department of Homeland Security oversees the Coast Guard, which remains central to the administration’s maritime enforcement strategy.
Separately, the Defense Department continues operations targeting smaller vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that it alleges are involved in drug trafficking. Since early September, at least 104 people have been killed in 28 known strikes. These operations have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and human rights groups questioning the evidence supporting the targets and the legality of the strikes.
