Newsmax judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano agreed with a federal judge who ruled that National Guard troops federalized by President Donald Trump should be

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THIS is the stunning moment US troops rappel from helicopters and storm an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela with high-powered rifles. Well-oiled commandos swept through the ship as they executed Trump’s boldest play yet in his stand-off with dictator Nicolas Maduro. Commandos dropped from a chopper onto the deckCredit: X/ @AGPamBondi Armed with high-powered rifles, the troops swept through the tanker to secure control of itCredit: X/ @AGPamBondi Trump confirmed the seizure of the tankerCredit: Getty Footage released on X by Attorney General Pam Bondi shows a military helicopter hovering over the tanker, with another buzzing nearby. Ropes are tossed from the cabin and geared-up troops immediately shimmy down onto the deck. They disperse in formation – guns aloft – darting up staircases and sweeping through cabins. Forces from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the US Coast Guard all came together for the slick sting. Ms Bondi said the troops were carrying out a seizure warrant for the tanker, which was used to “transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran”. Announcing the successful operation earlier on Wednesday, Trump said: “We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually.” He fired an ominous warning to Maduro – under the cosh more now than ever before – that “other things are happening”, though did not elaborate. When pressed on why he ordered the operation, Trump said only: “It was seized for a very good reason.” And asked what would happen to the oil onboard, he said: “We keep it I guess.” It’s still not clear exactly which vessel was targeted, or where it was intercepted. Venezuela dictator Nicolas Maduro shows off his dancing talent at public rally Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE2x1.75x1.5x1.25x1x, selected0.75x0.5xdescriptions off, selected Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-TransparentText BackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentCaption Area BackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop shadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall Caps End of dialog window. Up Next -Bizarre moment Venezuelan tyrant Maduro brandishes SWORD & vows to defy Trump This marks a major escalation in the US campaign against Venezuela – and is the strongest hint yet that America’s sights are set beyond drug smugglers. Up to this point, operations had been limited to remote strikes on small boats that America identified as “narco-terrorists”. This appears to be the first clash involving American personnel in the field, and the first target not directly related to the drugs trade. In the immediate term, the seizure could stymie Venezuela’s vital oil exports. Other shippers will likely be much warier of loading cargo from Maduro’s shores – for fear of a similar interception. Trump said the US would keep the oil on board the shipCredit: X/ @AGPamBondi Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro is now seriously under the coshCredit: Reuters Suezmax-size oil tanker Karvounis (stock) – example of a tanker carrying Venezuelan crude oilCredit: Reuters Longer term, it’s possible this proves to be the first move in a naval blockade of Venezuela – but Trump is for now keeping his cards close to his chest. Most oil from Venezuela ends up in China after passing through middlemen nations and being sold at a cut price. Just today, oil buyers in Asia demanded deeper discounts on Venezuelan crude oil due to a flood of sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran on offer. They also cited the risk of loading in the South American country in the face of the US military presence – a concern that has today been realised. The US has for months been tightening the noose around Maduro. This has been through a series of bold strikes against Venezuelan drug smuggling boats and the build up of a vast military force in the Caribbean. As of December 4, at least 87 people had been killed in 22 strikes on 23 vessels. Washington has been piling pressure on Venezuelan president Maduro by amassing a vast military force in the CaribbeanCredit: AFP The White House has already launched a series of strikes on drug smuggling boatsCredit: Instagram At the end of last month, Trump vowed the US would soon launch land operations in Venezuela after saying the drug cartels are on par with terrorist groups Al Qaeda and Hamas. However, he has maintained that his only goal is to wipe out the drugs trade flooding narcotics into the US – justifying each escalation with this cause. Many suspect he if fact wants to topple Maduro or gain access to Venezuela’s vast oil wells – and this latest operation will spur on those suspicions. For his part, Maduro has been hopping mad with fear – alternating between defiant avowals to defend his dictatorship and appeals for peace through literally singing and dancing. He is reportedly living like a hunted man – sleeping in a different bed every night and swapping phones constantly to evade would-be assassins. Today, the Nobel Peace Committee urged him to step down at the ceremony for his opponent forced into hiding, Maria Corina Machado, who won the 2025 Peace Prize. Maduro blindly insists everything is under control – but the reality suggests otherwise. Just this week, Trump warned him that his “days are numbered”.

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