Fox’s Peter Doocy Confronts Trump Spox Over Peace Prize: Would Military Strikes ‘Jeopardize’ His Chances?

Fox News Senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy confronted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt over President Donald Trump “jeopardizing” his chances at a Nobel Peace Prize with potential military action in Venezuela.

After months of threats and strikes on alleged drug boats — including the September 2 airstrike that left two survivors who were then killed by a second strike — the U.S. seized an oil tanker Wednesday in what has been called a major escalation.

At Thursday’s White House press briefing, Doocy asked about the possibility that if Trump did strike within Venezuela, it might scuttle his shot at the prize that has eluded him. In response, Leavitt cited an often-debunked claim:

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT: The president is committed to stopping the illegal flow of drugs into our country. He’s also fully committed to effectuating this administration’s sanction policy, and that’s what you saw and the world saw take place yesterday.

FOX NEWS SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT PETER DOOCY: And because you said the president is trying to do a lot of things at once. He talks a lot about how he thinks the way to bring down prices for everything would be to bring down the cost of energy.

Would he use this seized Venezuelan oil to try to help Americans with affordability here in the United States?

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT: Well, what I can tell you right now, the vessel has been seized, as you know. And the Department of Justice, it did that in conjunction with the Coast Guard and the Department of War. The vessel is currently undergoing a forfeiture process right now. The United States currently has a full investigative team on the ground on the vessel, and individuals on board the vessel are being interviewed and any relevant evidence is being seized.

With respect to the oil, that’s a different issue, as you know, Peter. The vessel will go to a US port and the United States does intend to seize the oil. However, there is a legal process for the seizure of that oil, and that legal process will be followed.

FOX NEWS SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT PETER DOOCY: My last one on this. If President Trump launches a bigger military campaign in the Caribbean, is he jeopardizing a possible Nobel Peace Prize?

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT: Look, the president has proven over the past year that he is more than worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize. I think he’s been nominated of it for it nearly one hundred times this past year, which is definitely a record.

He’s solved, I think, nine conflicts around the world, we are up to now. He’s actively working on the Russia Ukraine war, which is the big one as we speak, and has been over the past year.

With respect to any additional action in Venezuela, I’m definitely not gonna get ahead of the president or the United States military.

Watch above via Fox News.