US seizes sanctioned oil tanker off coast of Venezuela, Trump says

By Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Steve Holland and Marianna Parraga

December 10, 20256:01 PM MSTUpdated 9 mins ago

• Summary
• Companies

• Move is first known tanker seizure since US build-up began
• Signals new effort to go after Venezuela’s main revenue source
• Impact on global oil supply unclear

WASHINGTON, Dec 10 (Reuters) – The U.S. has seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, a move that sent oil prices higher and sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.

“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually, and other things are happening,” said Trump, who has been pressuring Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.

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Asked what would happen with the oil, Trump said: “We keep it, I guess.”

In response, the Venezuelan government in a statement accused the U.S. of “blatant theft” and described the seizure as “an act of international piracy”.

The Venezuelan government said it would “defend its sovereignty, natural resources, and national dignity with absolute determination” and denounce the seizure of the tanker before international bodies.

Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. This incident was the first known action against an oil tanker since he ordered a massive military build-up in the region. The U.S. has already carried out several strikes against suspected drug vessels, which has raised concerns among lawmakers and legal experts.

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