Trump isn’t playing around anymore. He’s going to do what he wants.
And now Donald Trump threatened all-out war if one foreign nation doesn’t back down.
Strong Leadership Against Venezuelan Narco-Terrorism
In a bold display of resolve, President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that military action against Venezuela remains a viable option to combat the regime’s support for drug trafficking and terrorism.
“I don’t rule it out, no,” he told NBC News in a phone interview.
Earlier this week, Trump directed a comprehensive “blockade” targeting sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, ramping up economic pressure on dictator Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. has already successfully seized an oil tanker in the region, part of an aggressive campaign that has included 28 precise strikes on vessels linked to drug operations, eliminating over 100 narco-terrorists—including in operations designed to prevent any escape or continuation of threats.
During the interview, Trump initially noted “I don’t discuss it” regarding potential escalation to full conflict. But when pressed, he affirmed the possibility while promising more tanker seizures. On timelines, Trump said: “It depends. If they’re foolish enough to be sailing along, they’ll be sailing along back into one of our harbors.”
Trump was clear but measured on whether removing Maduro is the end goal.
“He knows exactly what I want,” Trump replied. “He knows better than anybody.”
The president’s firm stance underscores his commitment to protecting Americans, contrasting sharply with past administrations’ weakness on foreign threats. Having campaigned successfully on ending endless wars while decisively confronting dangers, Trump reiterated post-election: he was “not going to start a war; I’m going to stop wars.”
The administration asserts that these targeted actions focus on vessels tied to drug smuggling, with Venezuela accused of funneling oil profits into “drug terrorism” that harms American communities.
Delivering for America’s Warriors and Families
On Wednesday, President Trump used a prime-time national address to highlight his booming economic policies amid Americans’ concerns over living costs, announcing a patriotic $1,776 “warrior dividend” for nearly 1.5 million military members—honoring the nation’s founding nearly 250 years ago.
Trump assured NBC News that distributions would begin “very soon” — “I would say within the next few days, it’ll all be out” — funded via the landmark “One Big Beautiful Bill” and massive tariff revenues.
“We’re making so much money with tariffs that we are able to do that and have plenty left over,” he said.
Administration officials confirmed the $2.6 billion one-time bonus draws from housing allocations in the One Big Beautiful Bill, signed by Trump in July, which originally set aside $2.9 billion to ease service members’ costs. Rather than ongoing handouts, the Defense Department opted for this direct, meaningful payment—avoiding long-term precedents while rewarding troops immediately.
Empowering Americans with Better, Cheaper Health Care
Trump also hammered home his vision for health reform in Wednesday’s speech, calling out “gigantic health insurance companies that have gotten rich on billions of dollars of money that should go directly to the people.”
He championed letting individuals “buy their own health insurance, which will give far better benefits at much lower cost. It will be far better health insurance.”
With ACA premiums poised to surge next year after Republicans wisely declined to extend bloated subsidies, Trump explained he sees no need to repeal Obamacare outright.
“I don’t have to do anything, because Obamacare would just repeal itself automatically because nobody’s going to want to use it. Too expensive,” he told NBC News.
Rejecting calls for a new massive plan, Trump declared: “As far as I’m concerned, I rolled it out last night,” he said. “It’s very simple. It’s a very simple plan. The insurance companies have become totally rich and beyond any comprehension. They get billions and billions of dollars a year, and we’re not going to let that happen.
“We’re going to pay the money directly to the people,” he said. “They can use health care accounts. They can use — you know, there are many ways of doing it, but we’re going to let them buy their own health care. They’ll get much better health care at a much lower price.”
Looking ahead to next year’s midterms, with Republicans poised to maintain control amid Trump’s successes, he expressed confidence: “I think so. I certainly hope so.”
