WASHINGTON (AP)—President Donald Trump said Monday he would impose a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela and new tariffs on the South American country itself.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Venezuela has been “very hostile” to the U.S. and that countries purchasing oil from it will be forced to pay the tariff on all their trade to the U.S. starting April 2.
Venezuela will face a “Secondary” tariff because it is the home to the gang Tren de Aragua, he said. The Trump administration is deporting immigrants that it claims are members of gangs who illegally crossed into the United States.
Trump’s latest tariffs threat suggests the administration will take bolder moves against China, the largest customer for Venezuelan oil. The Trump administration has already levied universal 20% tariffs on imports from China as an effort to crack down on the illicit trade in fentanyl.