U.S. Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker
President Donald Trump has announced that the U.S. government has taken control of a Venezuelan oil tanker.
“We just seized a tanker off the coast of Venezuela. A large tanker, a very large tanker. It’s actually the largest tanker that’s ever been seized. There are other things going on as well, so you’ll see that later. I’ll be discussing it with some other individuals,” Trump stated at the White House on Wednesday. “It was seized for a very good reason.”
When asked about the fate of the oil onboard, he remarked, “I think we’re going to keep it. I think we’re going to keep the oil.”
The operation was coordinated by the Coast Guard with support from the Navy, according to U.S. officials.
Attorney General Pam Bondi shared a video on X detailing the seizure.
“Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Coast Guard, aided by the Department of the Army, executed a warrant to seize a crude oil tanker transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran,” she wrote.
“This oil tanker has faced U.S. sanctions for several years due to its role in an illegal oil transport network that benefits foreign terrorist organizations,” Bondi added. “The seizure, conducted safely off the coast of Venezuela, is ongoing, with further collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the shipment of sanctioned oil.”
The vessel, known as “The Skipper,” was reportedly off the coast of Venezuela and had just departed when the operation began around 6 a.m. on Wednesday, involving two helicopters, 10 Coast Guard members, 10 Marines, and special operations forces.
The helicopters launched from the U.S. Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, the Gerald Ford, which has been in the Caribbean since last month.
The captain, only 20 years old, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2022 due to alleged connections with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah. Remarkably, the vessel was previously identified as “The Toyo” in 2005.
The Venezuelan government has responded by “strongly condemning” the action, labeling it a blatant act of theft and piracy.
“In this context, the true motivation for long-standing aggression against Venezuela has finally been revealed. It’s not about immigration, drug trafficking, democracy, or human rights; it’s always been about our natural resources, oil and energy that rightfully belong to the Venezuelan people,” the government’s statement said.
Since September, the Trump administration has pursued a military campaign against suspected drug-trafficking vessels from Venezuela, reportedly downing at least 22 boats and resulting in the deaths of more than 80 individuals. Trump has indicated a willingness to expand these operations into Venezuelan territory while bolstering military presence in the region.
Trump has consistently criticized Nicolás Maduro, the socialist leader of Venezuela, deeming him an illegitimate figure. In a recent interview, Trump commented on Maduro, suggesting that “his days are numbered,” although he refrained from detailing possible strategies for effecting change in the regime.
