US EditionLeavitt Says Trump Doesn’t View Seizure of Oil Tanker as Escalation with Venezuela
The tanker carried about 2 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan crude worth up to $100 million, destined for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, U.S. officials said.
- On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced U.S. forces seized a large oil tanker near Venezuela, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the tanker is undergoing legal forfeiture to seize the oil.
- The Department of Justice requested and was approved for a warrant because the vessel is described as a sanctioned 'shadow vessel' involved in illicit oil shipping supporting terrorist groups, with Attorney General Pam Bondi noting it was sanctioned for years.
- Between December 4 and 5 the tanker left Venezuela's main oil port of Jose loaded with 1.8 million barrels of Merey heavy crude and later transferred about 200,000 barrels before seizure, Fox News reported its value between $60 million and more than $100 million.
- U.S. military flew a pair of fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday, amid increased scrutiny of Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth from lawmakers following strikes on suspected trafficking vessels.
- A U.S. investigative team is on board conducting interviews and seizing evidence as officials continue probing sanctioned oil shipments, and Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed on Saturday to keep protecting America.
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Leavitt says Trump doesn’t view seizure of oil tanker as escalation with Venezuela
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that President Trump does not view the U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker as an escalation toward war with Caracas. “I think the president considers the seizure of the oil tanker as effectuating the administration’s sanctions policies,” Leavitt said. When asked whether U.S. involvement in…
An oil tanker off Venezuela's coast was seized by the US: Caracas strongly condemns the move – tensions are intensifying.
Tensions in the Caribbean have risen sharply after the US military seized a tanker in the region's waters, which was reportedly carrying a significant amount of oil from Venezuela to Cuba. The operation was carried out by US naval forces, which boarded the ship and took it under control. According to military sources, the tanker is suspected of being part of a secret oil trade between the two allied countries, Caracas and Havana, despite the har…
A video by the US Navy shows a military operation off the coast of Venezuela. Soldiers seized an oil tanker there. The US is talking about terrorist financing, Venezuela about piracy.
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