In a stunning claim that has sent shockwaves through political and financial circles, prominent conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has suggested that US President Donald Trump could use a televised national address tonight to announce a state of war with Venezuela. However, Carlson himself added significant caveats to his own explosive statement.
The Startling Claim and Its Caveats
Speaking on the Judge Napolitano podcast on Wednesday, Carlson asserted that members of the US Congress were briefed about an impending conflict. "Members of Congress were briefed yesterday that a war is coming and it'll be announced in the address to the nation tonight at 9 o'clock," Carlson was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. The address is scheduled for 9 PM Eastern Time on December 18, which translates to 7:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST) on December 19.
Yet, in a notable backtrack, Carlson immediately cast doubt on his own report. "Who knows, by the way, if that will actually happen? I don't know. And I never want to overstate what I know, which is pretty limited in general," he added. This claim directly contradicts the official White House line, which states that the President's speech will focus on the administration's achievements over the past year and outline priorities for 2026.
Escalating Tensions and Immediate Fallout
The speculation comes amidst a dramatic escalation of US pressure on the socialist government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. On Wednesday, President Trump ordered a 'total and complete' blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers travelling to and from the Latin American nation. Maduro swiftly denounced this move as an act of "warmongering."
The financial markets reacted instantly to the heightened geopolitical risk. Global oil benchmark Brent crude spiked toward $60 per barrel, while shares of major energy giants like Exxon Mobil, BP, and Shell saw significant gains.
In a diplomatic countermove, Venezuela has urgently called for the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency meeting. In a letter seen by The New York Times, Venezuela's foreign minister accused the US President of "violating with impunity... our national sovereignty" and the country's territorial integrity. A separate letter requested the 15-member Council to formally denounce Washington's actions against Venezuelan vessels and trade.
Background of the US-Venezuela Confrontation
The current crisis is the culmination of months of increasing hostility. The Trump administration has long accused the Maduro regime of deep involvement in narco-terrorism. According to reports, since September, the US has struck at least 25 alleged narco-terror vessels, resulting in at least 95 fatalities, primarily in the Caribbean Sea.
In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump alleged that Maduro's government uses "'stolen' oil to 'finance themselves, drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping.'" Earlier this month, the US imposed new sanctions targeting three nephews of Maduro's wife and six crude oil tankers linked to them.
President Trump has also refused to rule out direct military strikes inside Venezuela to target cartels he claims are producing and exporting the deadly opioid fentanyl to the United States with Maduro's facilitation. This has been accompanied by a noticeable US military buildup in the southern Caribbean.
The Venezuelan government has consistently and vehemently denied all accusations of criminal links, arguing that the true US motive is regime change to gain control over the nation's vast oil reserves. As the world awaits President Trump's address, the possibility of a major military announcement, however speculative, has placed the international community on high alert.
