The US seized a large Venezuelan oil tanker off the nation's coast on Wednesday. President Donald Trump confirmed the seizure, calling it "the largest one ever seized." When asked about the oil, Trump said, "We keep the oil, I guess!" This move has raised alarms among senior Democrats and at least one Republican. Senator Chris Van Hollen called the operation "a big lie," saying it shows the US is aiming for regime change, not just fighting drugs. Rand Paul said, "Seizing someone’s oil tanker is an initiation of war," questioning if the US government should start wars looking for "monsters." Senator Chris Coons expressed concern that Trump is "sleepwalking us into a war with Venezuela." Mark Warner criticized the apparent inconsistency, posting, "So they can seize an oil tanker, but not a drug boat?" Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump's confusing messaging makes it hard to trust his intentions but noted, "Obviously, if Maduro would just flee on his own, everyone would like that." Attorney General Pam Bondi said the seizure involved a vessel carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran that supported foreign terrorist groups. Venezuela's government called the seizure "a blatant theft and an act of international piracy," accusing the US of targeting Venezuela’s oil and energy. Not all oppose the action. Senator Ted Cruz said Trump is saving American lives by going after drug smugglers. In contrast, Senator Adam Schiff called it "a very dangerous escalation and a prelude to potential conflict." Recently, senators including Schiff, Paul, Tim Kaine, and Schumer introduced a war powers resolution to block military actions against Venezuela without Congress's approval. The US has deployed its largest naval force in the Caribbean since the Cuban Missile Crisis, aiming to fight "narco-terrorists." However, drug officials point out that most fentanyl enters the US from China and Mexico, while cocaine comes mainly from Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia.