US seizes Venezuelan oil tanker in latest ramp up of Trump’s targeting the nation: report
US seizes oil tanker off coast of Venezuela in Trump’s latest swipe at Maduro
- US forces have seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.
- President Donald Trump confirmed the seizure, saying, “It's been an interesting day from the standpoint of news. As you probably know, we've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. Largest one ever seized actually. And other things are happening."
- The intercepted tanker had been sanctioned by the U.S. government, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News Wednesday.
- The naval operation comes as the Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom it accuses of facilitating illegal drug trafficking.
- Since September, the Pentagon has launched around two dozen strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, killing at least 87 people. At the same time, the U.S. has amassed a fleet of warships near Venezuela, marking the most significant naval presence in the region in decades.