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. I'm against all of this," Paul stated during his appearance on ABC News' "This Week" alongside co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
Paul further characterized the administration's approach to suspected drug traffickers as "strange and inconsistent."
"And why is former President [Juan Orlando] Hernandez of Honduras, who was imprisoned for 45 years, now released?" Paul questioned. "So, certain narco-terrorists are acceptable, while others we intend to destroy. And then, for those who aren't classified as terrorists, we might consider arresting them."
Sen Rand Paul walks through the Senate subway on Capitol Hill, on Dec. 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C.Heather Diehl/Getty Images
Here are additional highlights from Paul's interview:
On Erika Kirk and Marco Rubio's 2028 Vance endorsement
Karl: Is JD Vance the next in line here?
Paul: I believe there should be voices within the Republican Party who still advocate for international trade, uphold the principles of free-market capitalism, and support lower taxes. Previously, conservatives and liberals were divided by conservatives believing the issue was overspending. We didn't seek increased revenue; we aimed for reduced spending. Yet now, many pro-terror protectionists seem to embrace higher taxes, continually imposing them and boasting about the resulting revenue. This has never aligned with conservative values. Therefore, I will persist in leading a conservative free-market faction within the party, and we will see how things evolve over time.
Karl: And that doesn't describe JD Vance.
Paul: Correct.
On retaliatory strikes in Syria
Paul: You know, it's difficult not to want to retaliate when they take our own lives. However, I would prefer to return to the stance of the initial Trump administration when he expressed a desire to withdraw troops. There are approximately 900 troops, maybe a thousand or up to 1,500. They are insufficient for warfare. They do not serve as a competent strategic force. Instead, they function merely as a target and a tripwire.
So we've conducted this retaliatory strike. Now, Donald Trump should enact what he proposed during the first administration, similar to what Ronald Reagan did after the bombing in 1983. He withdrew. There’s no justification for our presence in Syria. We must exit Syria and avoid becoming a trigger for re-engaging in another conflict.
On the possibility of a one-year extension for ACA subsidies
Paul: Look, we have healthcare for low-income individuals in our nation. It's called Medicaid. The rest of this system has proven ineffective. Obamacare has been a disappointment. President Obama claimed it would lower premiums, yet they have soared. Each time we increase subsidies, premiums rise even higher. I propose that everyone in this marketplace, which comprises only about 4%, should be able to access platforms like Amazon or Costco or Sam's Club and collectively—millions strong—ne
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