The United States has seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, according to Reuters. The move pushed oil prices higher and further escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. Very large tanker, largest one ever, actually,” Trump said. Asked about the oil on board, he added: “We keep it, I guess.”
Venezuela’s government condemned the action, calling it “blatant theft” and “an act of international piracy.” Officials said they will file complaints with international bodies.
The tanker seizure is the first involving Venezuelan oil since US sanctions took effect in 2019. It is also the first known tanker-related action taken after Trump ordered a major military buildup in the region. The US has already carried out strikes on suspected drug vessels, prompting concerns from lawmakers and legal experts.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X that the FBI, Homeland Security, the Coast Guard, and the US military executed a seizure warrant for a tanker transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. She shared a video showing helicopters approaching a vessel as armed personnel rappelled onto the deck.
Iran’s embassy in Caracas denounced the operation, calling it a “grave violation of international laws and norms.”
US officials did not identify the tanker or reveal its exact location. However, maritime risk firm Vanguard said the vessel is believed to be the VLCC Skipper, previously known as the Adisa. The US imposed sanctions on the tanker for its alleged role in Iranian oil trading.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared at a march on Wednesday but did not comment on the reported seizure.
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