On December 10, 2025, the United States announced the seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. According to Trump, it was “a big tanker, a very big one — in fact, the largest ever seized.”
The operation was reportedly led by the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Navy and other agencies. The vessel had previously been sanctioned for transporting Venezuelan oil (and allegedly also Venezuelan/Iranian oil) to prohibited destinations and was believed to be part of a sanctioned oil-shipping network accused of having links to terrorist organizations.
Trump stated that the oil will be retained by the United States.
