Welcome to Meet the Press. Now I'm Kristen Welker in New York. We begin with the Trump administration's

dramatic escalation with Venezuela and the Nicolas Maduro regime, seizing an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela,

sanctioning six additional tankers, and threatening more action amid a surge in military assets to the region.

Attorney General Pam Bondi releasing this video, showing members of the Coast Guard repelling from a

helicopter onto the sea's tanker and moving throughout the vessel with their weapons drawn.

In her post, Bondi said the oil tanker was sanctioned by the U.S. due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.

Yesterday, President Trump suggested the U.S. would keep the oil.

And today, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt echoed that sentiment while defending the decision to seize the tanker despite concerns about the

escalation and tensions. The United States currently has a full investigative team on the ground,

on the vessel, and individuals on board the vessel are being interviewed and any relevant

evidence is being seized. With respect to the oil, that's a different issue. As you know, Peter,

the vessel will go to a U.S. port, and the United States does intend to seize the oil. However, there is a

legal process for the seizure of that oil, and that legal process will be followed.

Does the president consider the seizure of the oil tanker an escalation or step towards

war with Bendiswila? I think the president considers the seizure of the oil tanker as effectuating the

administration's sanction policies.

DHS Secretary Kristy Knoem also touting that operation today during a worldwide

threats hearing on Capitol Hill.

And it was a successful operation directed by the president to ensure that we're pushing back on a regime that is systematically covering and flooding our country with deadly drugs and killing our next generation of Americans.

And this afternoon, the administration appearing to double down on its strategy, with the Treasury Department sanctioning six crude oil tankers as part of a fresh round of sanctions on Venezuela.

Now, it comes after Venezuela's foreign minister denounced the seizure of the oil tanker,

calling it, quote, blatant theft and an act of international piracy.

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