White House Confirms Plan to Seize Oil From Venezuelan Tanker Captured in Anti-Sanctions Operation

WASHINGTON — The White House said Thursday it intends to seize more than $100 million worth of Venezuelan crude oil aboard a tanker captured by U.S. forces off the nation's coast, framing the operation as enforcement of sanctions against illicit networks tied to Iran and drug trafficking.

The tanker, identified as the Skipper, was seized Wednesday in international waters under a Justice Department warrant, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Previously sanctioned in 2022 for alleged links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah, the vessel had loaded about 1.8 million barrels of heavy crude at Venezuela's Jose port in early December before transferring roughly 200,000 barrels to another ship bound for Cuba, satellite tracking data shows.

President Donald Trump announced the seizure during a White House roundtable, calling it the "largest one ever" and hinting at further actions. "We've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela — a large tanker, very large," Trump said. "It was seized for a very good reason."

In a Thursday briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Skipper is undergoing a federal forfeiture process, with FBI and Homeland Security investigators aboard interviewing crew members and collecting evidence. "The vessel will go to a U.S. port, and the United States does intend to seize the oil," she said. "However, there is a legal process for the seizure of that oil, and that legal process will be followed."

Pressed on whether the oil could help lower U.S. energy costs amid Trump's frequent calls to reduce prices, Leavitt did not directly answer but emphasized the administration's focus on sanctions enforcement. The cargo's value is estimated at $60 million to $100 million based on current crude prices.

The operation is part of Operation Southern Spear, a broader U.S. military campaign launched in November to combat drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere. Unveiled by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, it involves a joint task force with robotic and autonomous systems targeting "narco-terrorists," including vessels allegedly linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's regime. Since September, U.S. forces have conducted at least 22 strikes on suspected drug boats near Venezuela, killing 87 people, according to Pentagon data.

Leavitt described the tanker seizure as upholding "the president's sanction policies" against Venezuela, which has faced U.S. restrictions since 2019 over human rights abuses and alleged narco-terrorism. "We're not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narco-terrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world," she said.

The move has heightened tensions with Maduro, who condemned it as "international piracy" and an attempt to steal Venezuela's resources. Analysts say it could disrupt global oil markets by deterring "shadow fleet" tankers that evade sanctions, potentially raising shipping costs for Venezuelan exports, which primarily go to China and India.

More than 30 sanctioned vessels remain in Venezuelan waters, and shipping sources indicate owners may hesitate to load cargoes amid fears of further U.S. actions. The Skipper, a 20-year-old very large crude carrier originally built as the Adisa, had a history of falsifying its location and docking in sanctioned nations like Iran before the seizure.

Bondi released video footage showing U.S. personnel fast-roping from helicopters onto the deck in a nighttime raid, conducted without casualties. The Guyana-flagged ship was not commercially trackable, with its automatic identification system disabled — a common tactic for illicit trades.

This marks the first U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil cargo under current sanctions, escalating a pressure campaign that includes a U.S. naval buildup in the Caribbean, featuring the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and about 12,000 sailors and Marines. Trump has warned Maduro his "days are numbered" and threatened similar actions against Colombia over drug flows, while freezing Afghan visas in unrelated security moves.

Venezuela, once a top U.S. oil supplier, relies on petroleum for 95% of its exports but has seen production plummet under sanctions and mismanagement. Chevron, the last major U.S. firm operating there, recently increased shipments to 150,000 barrels per day but reported no disruptions from the seizure.

--REAL AMERICA'S VOICE

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