The United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, a vessel previously sanctioned by Washington in 2022 while operating under a different name. The operation, part of the Trump administration's broader campaign against Venezuelan oil exports, further escalates tensions with President Nicolás Maduro's government.
The tanker, identified as The Skipper, is believed to have been carrying approximately 1.1 million barrels of Venezuelan oil. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Thursday that the seizure was conducted under a judicial warrant, describing the vessel as a "sanctioned shadow vessel known for carrying black-market sanctioned oil" to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Leavitt confirmed that the US intends to seize the oil cargo, but noted that a legal forfeiture process must be followed. "The vessel is currently undergoing a forfeiter process," she said, adding that the crew is being interviewed and the ship searched. The tanker will be taken to a US port.
The seizure comes amid a significant US military buildup in the region, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, along with thousands of sailors and fighter jets. The Trump administration has also conducted deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, drawing criticism from Congress and human rights groups.
While the administration's ultimate goal remains unclear, experts widely believe it seeks the overthrow of Maduro's authoritarian regime. Leavitt framed the operation as part of efforts to stop illegal drug flows and enforce US sanctions policy.
