U.S. forces have reportedly seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, according to U.S. officials cited by the U.S. Coast Guard and unnamed administration sources.
President Trump confirmed the escalation in remarks at the White House.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. Large tanker, very large. Largest one ever seized action. And, other things are happening. So you’ll be seeing that later. And you’ll be talking about that later with some other people,” Trump said.
The identity of the tanker and the exact coordinates of the seizure have not been publicly disclosed. The White House and the Coast Guard have declined to comment further.
President Donald Trump has escalated pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in recent weeks. The White House has undertaken a large military buildup in the Caribbean and launched multiple lethal strikes against boats that it claims were trafficking drugs to the U.S.
Trump recently said Maduro’s “days are numbered” and refused to rule out a ground operation in the South American country.
“I don’t want to rule in or out,” Trump told Politico. “I don’t talk about it.”
Wednesday’s incident marks an escalation from deterrence to direct interdiction, potentially driving up oil prices in the short term — while risking broader diplomatic fallout in the Caribbean.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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