U.S. forces have seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, a dramatic move that intensifies Washington’s economic and diplomatic pressure campaign against the government of Nicolás Maduro.
“We have just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela—a large tanker, very large, the largest one ever seized actually,” Trump told reporters at the White House. Attorney General Pam Bondi later released video of the operation, describing the vessel as a “crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.”
The seizure drew an immediate and fierce response from Caracas, which denounced it as an act of “international piracy.” The action follows accusations from the Trump administration that Venezuela has been funneling narcotics into the United States and represents a significant escalation in efforts to isolate Maduro. For its part, Venezuela has long accused Washington of attempting to plunder its vast oil reserves—among the world’s largest.
The news briefly pushed Brent crude prices higher on Wednesday amid short-term supply concerns. Analysts warned the seizure could threaten global shipping routes and further disrupt Venezuela’s already crippled oil exports, deepening the country’s economic crisis.
By James Kisoo
