Start Here The Tanker Seizures Aren’t Just About Venezuela
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Dec 23, 2025 Join Colonel Stephen Ganyard, a former U.S. State Department expert, Patrick Rievel, an ABC News foreign correspondent from Moscow, and Ben Siegel, Deputy Political Director, as they tackle hot-button issues. They dive into Trump's vision for a revamped naval fleet amid U.S. and Venezuelan tensions. Rievel shares insights on the assassination of a Russian general and its implications for Ukraine-Russia peace talks. Siegel analyzes a significant spike in GOP retirements as Republicans navigate their post-Trump identity.
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Battleship Plan Clashes With Modern Navy
- Building new giant battleships is at odds with modern naval trends favoring smaller, autonomous, and swarm-capable vessels.
- Colonel Stephen Ganyard warns larger ships become bigger targets and strain budgets and manpower.
Rogue Tanker Tracked, Not Immediately Seized
- The pursued vessel Bella One repeatedly changed flags and conducted illicit oil trades tied to Venezuela.
- Ganyard suggests the U.S. may track and seize it later rather than commit ships now.
Quarantine Strategy Affects Regional Allies
- A U.S. naval quarantine around Venezuela can choke not just Maduro but allied states like Cuba that rely on Venezuelan oil.
- Ganyard says disrupting oil flows can pressure multiple regimes without blockading every coastline.