Trump Slaps 25% Tariff on Nations Buying Oil from Venezuela

President Donald Trump is ramping up pressure on the criminal Maduro regime and its global enablers. On Monday, Trump announced a sweeping 25% tariff on any country that purchases oil or gas from Venezuela, accusing the socialist dictatorship of deliberately flooding the United States with violent gang members and allowing foreign adversaries like Iran and China to operate freely within its borders.

In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump made clear this bold move is part of a broader effort to restore American sovereignty and security “Among the gangs they sent to the United States, is Tren de Aragua, which has been given the designation of ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization.’ We are in the process of returning them to Venezuela It is a big task!”

He also warned that the U.S. will no longer tolerate nations enriching themselves by doing business with a hostile, criminal regime. The tariff, dubbed a “Secondary Tariff on Venezuela,” is set to go into effect April 2, which Trump has declared “Liberation Day in America.”

Key facts:

• Venezuela’s oil exports increased by 10.5% in 2024, including shipments to the U.S., China, India, and Spain.

• The United States had previously allowed Chevron to operate in Venezuela under a special license granted by the Biden administration in 2022.

• Trump has now issued a 30-day wind-down order for that license, giving Chevron until April 3 to slow or cease operations in the country.

The crackdown comes after the Trump administration exposed Nicolas Maduro’s fraudulent claim to power last July, pointing to evidence of a stolen election. Both Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have slammed Maduro not only for his human rights abuses and election theft but for weaponizing mass migration to destabilize the U.S.

Rubio didn’t mince words “He has flooded us with gang members flooded with these Tren de Aragua gang members that are in this country doing terrible things.”

Venezuela has become a hub for America’s enemies. Iran and China have established operations in the country, leveraging Maduro’s collapsing state to spread influence and threaten U.S. interests in the hemisphere. With this tariff, Trump is making it clear: those who do business with Venezuela will face serious consequences.

This bold economic weapon isn’t just about punishing Maduro it’s about choking off the regime’s lifeline and forcing the international community to choose: America or the criminals.

As Trump prepares to unveil a broader set of reciprocal tariffs on April 2, the message is unmistakable: America is done playing nice. Under Trump, foreign regimes won’t be rewarded for undermining our borders, threatening our citizens, or aiding terrorists.

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