President Trump on Monday announced a “secondary tariff” on Venezuela.

“President Donald J. Trump announced today that the United States of America will be putting what is known as a Secondary Tariff on the Country of Venezuela, for numerous reasons, including the fact that Venezuela has purposefully and deceitfully sent to the United States, undercover, tens of thousands of high level, and other, criminals, many of whom are murderers and people of a very violent nature,” Trump stated on Truth Social.

“Among the gangs they sent to the United States, is Tren de Aragua, which has been given the designation of ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization.’ We are in the process of returning them to Venezuela — It is a big task! In addition, Venezuela has been very hostile to the United States and the Freedoms which we espouse. Therefore, any Country that purchases Oil and/or Gas from Venezuela will be forced to pay a Tariff of 25% to the United States on any Trade they do with our Country,” he continued.

“All documentation will be signed and registered, and the Tariff will take place on April 2nd, 2025, LIBERATION DAY IN AMERICA. Please let this notification serve to represent that the Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, and all other Law Enforcement Agencies within our Country have been so notified. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.

*TRUMP: US PUTTING SECONDARY TARIFF ON THE COUNTRY OF VENEZUELA

*TRUMP: ANY COUNTRY BUYING VENEZUELA OIL TO FACE 25% US TARIFF

*TRUMP: VENEZUELA TARIFF TO TAKE PLACE APRIL 2 pic.twitter.com/B2sHoELRGy

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) March 24, 2025

A closer look:

The Hill reports:

The Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, commonly known as TdA, has been targeted by the Trump administration in recent mass deportations. Trump last weekend invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to allow him to have sweeping powers to deport people and specifically targeted alleged Tren de Aragua members.

The administration has since been in a legal battle with U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who blocked the move, and on Monday declined to lift a restraining order barring the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans.

Trump has teased April 2 as a major day for implementing new tariffs, arguing for weeks that it is unfair that trading partners impose tariffs on products from the U.S. that are higher than those the U.S. imposes on their products. The White House is also considering sectoral tariffs on April 2, a White House official told The Hill, to tack onto the reciprocal tariffs.

WATCH:

Under President Trump, countries that purchase oil from Venezuela will pay a 25% tariff.

Under Joe Biden, the United States begged Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro for oil.

What a difference a few months makes. pic.twitter.com/iEOdqc3klq

— Daniel Turner (@DanielTurnerPTF) March 24, 2025

Per USA TODAY:

Trump’s latest tariff threat comes after he recently cited the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport more than 200 Venezuelans whom his administration has alleged are members of the Tren de Aragua gang. A federal judge blocked Trump’s use of the 18th-century law, which has historically been invoked during times of war with foreign nations, but the deportation flights went ahead anyway.

Venezuela’s oil exports increased by 10.5% in 2024, with China accounting for 68% of Venezuela’s crude oil exports, followed by the U.S. at 23%, Spain and Cuba at 4% apiece, and Singapore, Malaysia and Russia each at less than 1%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Recent U.S. sanctions on Venezuela and the regime of President Nicolás Murado have resulted in less Venezuelan crude oil imported by the U.S., which was previously the largest importer of Venezuelan crude oil.