Trump holds an event with Rubio and Hegseth during vacation as tensions with Venezuela mount
December 22, 2025
President Donald Trump is gathering with top national security officials. Monday’s meeting comes as the U.S. Coast Guard is stepping up efforts to interdict oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea as part of an escalating pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and others are scheduled to join Trump, who is vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago resort, for what the White House calls a “major announcement.” A White House official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Trump plans to discuss a shipbuilding initiative.