Sen. James Lankford defended the U.S. military's seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on Newsmax Thursday after new video of the operation was released by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The tanker is suspected of transporting sanctioned oil in violation of U.S. measures targeting the Venezuelan regime.
"It is entirely appropriate," the Oklahoma Republican said Thursday on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," calling Venezuela's leader an illegitimate dictator recognized only by Russia and China.
He accused the regime of oppressing its people, fueling illegal immigration to the United States, running drugs, and using oil revenue to "sponsor their terrorist activities."
Lankford said the move shows Washington is finally enforcing sanctions that have been in place for years.
"They have been sanctioned for years now," he noted. "We're actually implementing those sanctions and saying that, no, you really can't do this."
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