Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker stated he has received no briefings on potential U.S. military action involving Venezuela but will listen to President Donald Trump's address tonight with bated breath, according to X posts by reporter @nnworcester shared between 10:45 PM and 11:15 PM UTC on December 17, 2025. Wicker's comments came in response to questions from @nnworcester amid speculation about U.S. escalation against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, following reports of U.S. carrier aircraft operations off Venezuela's coast earlier on December 17 and President Trump's naval blockade order on December 16, as previously noted. Journalist Marc Caputo reported on X that claims by Tucker Carlson of congressional briefings yesterday on an impending war and a presidential announcement at 9 PM tonight were inaccurate, stating his sources confirmed no such briefing occurred and no announcement is planned at that time. White House adviser Jason Leavitt stated on X, shared by @Acyn, that President Trump will address the nation tomorrow night about his historic accomplishments over the past year. A dispatch by @TonyFrangieM for The Globe and Mail, posted within the 29-minute window ending at 11:15 PM UTC, described Venezuelans continuing daily life amid fears of U.S. intervention, blending parties, humor, silence, hope, and anxiety. Stephen Miller posted on X a statement criticizing past U.S. foreign policy as a "reverse Empire" and affirming that America's military will now defend American interests first.
