Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, broke sharply with his party and the legacy media this week, forcefully defending the Trump administration’s actions against Venezuela and accusing news outlets of mischaracterizing U.S. military operations aimed at narco-terrorism and illicit oil trafficking.
Speaking with NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo, Fetterman addressed a classified briefing he attended on recent U.S. actions in and around Venezuelan waters. Cuomo asked whether the senator had learned anything that reassured him the United States was not sliding into an extended military conflict in or around Venezuela.
“I thought it was pretty comprehensive,” Fetterman replied, signaling confidence in the administration’s approach. He then turned his criticism toward media coverage that he said has painted a distorted picture of U.S. operations.
“And this idea, some things out in the media, it’s kind of putting out this — that the military’s just picking off any boat that comes across. That’s just not true,” Fetterman said. He rejected claims that U.S. forces are acting recklessly, saying such portrayals ignore the intelligence-driven nature of the operations.
“I mean, there’s extensive intelligence and they know exactly who’s on that boat and they know what’s actually on that boat right now,” Fetterman explained. He added that military commanders often choose not to act, even when targets are identified, underscoring that strikes are selective and deliberate.
“When they move on those kinetic kinds of strikes, you know, they have absolute confidence who’s on it and what’s on it,” Fetterman said. “They are not just going around randomly shooting boats and those things. That’s just not the fact.”
The comments come as the Trump administration has intensified pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Last week, the United States seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, targeting the country’s state-owned oil industry — the regime’s primary source of revenue. Since September, U.S. forces have also destroyed more than 20 boats and submarines in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean in operations aimed at disrupting narco-terrorist networks.
Cuomo pressed Fetterman on President Donald Trump’s recent statement ordering a “complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. Trump accused the Maduro regime of stealing oil and land and using those assets to fund criminal activity.
“What did they steal?” Cuomo asked.
“Iran is involved on that and Russia is involved on that and China as well, too,” Fetterman responded. He said the oil in question is sanctioned and that revenues from those shipments prop up hostile regimes.
“That’s sanctioned oil right now,” he said. “And those are the kinds of funds that support regimes like Iran’s.”
Fetterman stressed that the administration’s strategy does not amount to a ground war or an invasion of Venezuela. Instead, he framed tanker seizures and maritime enforcement as a targeted way to cut off funding streams that fuel terrorism and other illicit activities.
“It’s not a plan like a land war and invade Venezuela,” he said. “But seizing those kinds of oil tankers … it’s undeniable that that’s gonna support Iran.”
“These are the kinds of funds that are going to be used for illicit things like terrorism,” Fetterman continued. “So for me, it makes a lot of sense, at least what I’ve seen.”
Fetterman’s remarks stand out at a time when most Democrats have sharply criticized Trump’s foreign policy. By defending the administration’s intelligence-driven operations and calling out what he described as misleading media narratives, the senator underscored a rare moment of bipartisan agreement on the need to confront narco-terrorism and sanctioned oil trafficking tied to hostile regimes.
[READ MORE: Trump Files $10 Billion Lawsuit Against BBC Over Misleading Edit]
