WASHINGTON DC: US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States has intercepted a sanctioned oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, a development that pushed global oil prices higher and further heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas.
“We’ve just taken control of a tanker off Venezuela—a big one, the biggest ever, actually—and there are other things happening,” Trump said, reaffirming his pressure campaign aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. When asked about the fate of the oil on board, Trump responded, “We keep it, I guess.”
Trump has repeatedly hinted at possible U.S. military involvement in Venezuela, and this marks the first publicly known action targeting an oil tanker since he ordered a significant troop buildup in the region. The U.S. has previously struck vessels suspected of drug trafficking, actions that had already raised concerns among lawmakers and legal experts.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X that the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Coast Guard—supported by the U.S. military—executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker allegedly transporting sanctioned Venezuelan and Iranian oil. She also posted a 45-second video showing two helicopters approaching a ship and armed personnel in camouflage descending onto the vessel.
Although U.S. officials did not disclose the vessel’s name, British maritime risk firm Vanguard identified the tanker as the Skipper, reportedly seized early Wednesday. Washington had already sanctioned the tanker—previously known as the Adisa—for what it said was involvement in Iranian oil shipments.
According to satellite data analyzed by TankerTrackers.com and internal PDVSA records, the Skipper departed Venezuela’s main oil terminal at Jose between December 4 and 5 after loading approximately 1.1 million barrels of Merey heavy crude.
Oil markets reacted immediately to the news. Brent crude reversed earlier losses to rise 27 cents (0.4%) and close at $62.21 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate climbed 21 cents (0.4%) to end at $58.46. President Maduro, speaking Wednesday at a march commemorating a military battle, did not address the reported seizure.
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