U.S. President Donald Trump stated on December 22 evening that Venezuelan oil seized after U.S. interception of tankers will remain in the United States, with options to sell it or place it in the national strategic stockpile, according to X posts by @AlbertoRodNews between 9:46 p.m. and 11:16 p.m. UTC. Trump added that a ground offensive against drug trafficking will target sources "anywhere drugs come from, not just Venezuela." Trump affirmed, "We are going to stay with it," in reference to the seized oil, as quoted by @AlbertoRodNews. The remarks follow U.S. pursuits of sanctioned Venezuelan-linked vessels, including M/T Bella 1 in the western Atlantic, with prior OSINT tracking of a C-17A Globemaster III flight from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, reported up to 9:46 p.m. UTC. Trump commented on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, stating "He's gotta watch his ass" and "He's no friend of the United States," according to an X post by @CrannofonixNews during the same period. An X post by @managuac noted that night came early in Caracas at 6:30 p.m. local time on December 22.
