President Donald Trump announced that the oil from a tanker seized near Venezuela's coast will be held by the U.S. government, a statement that was officially confirmed by his administration this Thursday.
In a candid exchange with reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump was asked, "What about the oil from the tanker you seized near Venezuela?" His straightforward reply was, "I guess we keep the oil!" He then quipped to the journalist inquiring about the tanker's destination, "You're quite the reporter. Get a helicopter and follow the tanker!"
The following day, Washington officially confirmed that the seized oil tanker, captured by U.S. forces in an operation off the Venezuelan coast, will be moved to a U.S. port, although the exact location remains unspecified.
This move coincided with fresh sanctions from the Treasury Department against three relatives of Cilia Flores, the wife of Nicolás Maduro, and six companies linked to the transport of Venezuelan crude.
The Treasury Department labeled two of Flores' nephews as "drug traffickers operating in Venezuela." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declared, "Nicolás Maduro and his criminal associates are flooding the United States with drugs that poison our people."
The tanker, en route to Cuba when intercepted by the Coast Guard, was part of efforts to block sanctioned oil trafficking that funds the "narco-terrorism of illegitimate regimes," as stated by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
U.S. forces executed the operation by rappelling down from a helicopter onto the ship's deck, an action the Department of Homeland Security described as targeting the "Maduro regime."
From Caracas, dictator Nicolás Maduro denounced the operation as "blatant theft and an act of international piracy," claiming there was a "kidnapping of the crew" and vowed to "protect the free trade of Venezuelan oil."
The United Nations expressed concern over the rising tensions, urging "restraint to avoid destabilizing the region." Over a week ago, Trump asserted that Maduro's days are "numbered" and did not rule out a ground invasion if the chavista regime continues to defy U.S. sanctions.
Key Issues Surrounding the Seized Oil Tanker
Why was the oil tanker seized by the United States?
The tanker was seized as part of U.S. efforts to prevent sanctioned oil trafficking that finances what they describe as "narco-terrorism of illegitimate regimes" like that of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.
What actions did the U.S. take against Nicolás Maduro's regime?
The U.S. has imposed new sanctions on relatives of Cilia Flores, Maduro's wife, and companies involved in shipping Venezuelan crude, as part of broader efforts to pressure Maduro's government.
How did Nicolás Maduro respond to the seizure of the oil tanker?
Maduro condemned the seizure as "blatant theft and an act of international piracy," and claimed there was a "kidnapping of the crew," pledging to protect Venezuelan oil trade.