Rand Paul says seizure of oil tankers in Caribbean a ‘prelude to war’

7:03Sen Rand Paul navigates through the Senate subway at Capitol Hill on December 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Heather Diehl/Getty Images

Republican Senator Rand Paul on Sunday condemned President Donald Trump's military operations off the coast of Venezuela, labeling the confiscation of several oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea as "a provocation and a precursor to war."

"I'm not in favor of seizing these vessels. I'm not supportive of destroying these boats carrying unarmed individuals who are suspected of drug trafficking.