US seizes Venezuelan oil tanker in major escalation, Trump says

The US has seized a Venezuelan oil tanker, President Donald Trump introduced on Wednesday, marking a pointy escalation in tensions with Caracas.

“We simply seized a tanker off the coast of Venezuela. Large tanker, very huge. The most important seizure ever. And different issues are taking place. So you may see that later. And you may speak to another individuals about that later,” Trump mentioned on the White Home.

The transfer is prone to additional pressure relations with Nicolás Maduro’s authorities, which is already topic to in depth US sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector. It comes after US navy strikes have focused suspected drug traffickers close to Venezuela at the very least 22 instances since September, killing 87 individuals.

Trump is contemplating a land assault in Venezuela, elevating questions on what that may imply for oil prices. (Mandel Ngan/AFP through Getty Photos; Mark Felix/Bloomberg through Getty Photos; Juan Barreto/AFP through Getty Photos)

The seizure was led by the Coast Guard and supported by the Navy, a US official informed the Related Press. The Coast Guard and U.S. Southern Command returned Fox Information Digital to the White Home, which couldn’t be reached for remark.

The Trump administration is contemplating launching land assaults on Venezuelan territory in an try to additional enhance stress on Maduro, who the US sees as Venezuela’s illegitimate chief and the chief of the Cartel de Los Soles drug cartel.

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Trump lately mentioned Maduro’s “days are numbered” and refused to rule out a floor operation within the South American nation.

“I do not wish to embrace or exclude,” Trump informed Politico. “I do not speak about it.”

Venezuela has a number of the largest oil reserves on the planet, exporting almost 750,000 barrels per day. In accordance with Kplr knowledge, about half goes to China.

Earlier than the broad sanctions, Venezuela was traditionally a significant provider of crude oil to the US

After sanctions in opposition to the Venezuelan state oil firm Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) in 2019, imports fell sharply. Restricted sanctions aid and occasional permits, particularly for Chevron, allowed some Venezuelan crude oil to circulate to U.S. refineries once more in 2024 and 2025. Trump earlier revoked Chevron’s allow to purchase oil from Caracas in 2025.

Venezuela has a number of the largest oil reserves on the planet, exporting almost 750,000 barrels per day. (Kimberly White/Getty Photos)

The area surrounding Venezuela has seen the most important U.S. navy buildup in many years, together with the presence of the world’s largest plane provider, USS Gerald R. Ford, and the deployment of ten F-35 jets to Puerto Rico in assist of Southern Command operations. On Tuesday, two F/A-18s flew over the waters north of Venezuela throughout coaching.

In November, President Trump ordered airways to go away the realm — a transfer that sparked hypothesis amongst analysts that Washington was getting ready for land assaults.

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Trump and Maduro lately held a telephone name, however the two sides failed to succeed in an settlement that may have seen Maduro go away energy.

The seizure comes after US navy strikes have hit suspected drug traffickers close to Venezuela at the very least 22 instances since September, killing 87 individuals. (US Southern Command/X)

Oil revenues stay the central pillar of Venezuela’s collapsing financial system, with the nation relying closely on discounted exports to China and different patrons prepared to sidestep sanctions.

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The nation strikes a lot of its crude oil by way of a shadow community of reflagged tankers, shell corporations and ship-to-ship transfers designed to hide the origins of its oil. Many ships sail with their transponders turned off or spoof places to keep away from detection.

It is a growth story. Examine again later for updates.