US EditionSeized tanker will go to U.S. port, Trump administration intends 'to seize the oil'
The U.S. Coast Guard and Marines seized the Skipper tanker carrying about 1.8 million barrels of sanctioned oil worth around $100 million, targeting illicit oil trade networks.
- On Dec. 10, 2025, U.S. forces abseiled onto an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast during a raid, and President Donald Trump said, `Well, we keep it, I guess.`
- Attorney General Pam Bondi said the vessel had long been sanctioned for illicit shipping, citing its involvement in an illicit oil‑shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations, while the Department of Justice secured a warrant as it was a sanctioned shadow vessel.
- Analysts say the tanker Skipper carried 1.1 million barrels and appeared bound for Cuba, but Guyana Maritime Administration Department said Wednesday it was not registered there.
- Bob McNally said `there's a civil asset forfeiture process` and expects it to be followed in this case, referencing the 2024 sale of seized Iranian oil generating $47 million.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Dec. 11 the tanker is under forfeiture and evidence is being collected, while Bondi wrote, "Our investigation alongside the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil continues.
190 Articles
190 Articles
U.S. naval moves against Venezuela
The U.S. seized or intercepted three Venezuelan oil tankers — Skipper, Centuries, and Bella 1 — for carrying crude or trading with sanctioned entities. These ships are examples of the shadow fleet, showing how countries like Venezuela bypass sanctions, prompting the U.S. to order a physical blockade.
Trump presses a new button in his strategy against Maduro: Economic strangulation through oil
Last week’s military operation against the Skipper, an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, was a declaration of intent from the White House. And, following Donald Trump’s announcement of a “total blockade” against all sanctioned cargo ships attempting to enter or leave Venezuela, everything seems to indicate that there will be more. Venezuela must return “the oil, land, and other assets that they previously stole from us,” the magnate has insis…
Helena Independent Record
US forces seize tanker off coast of Venezuela
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday the United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as tensions mount with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
‘He Really Thinks We’re Stupid’: Trump’s Dim-Witted Answer Sets Off Outrage and Critics Say He Just Revealed the Real Plan Behind His So-Called Mission
President Donald Trump may have meant nothing by it — just another tossed-off comment — but the moment the words came out his mouth, people online said they heard a slip far too revealing to ignore. Within hours, the administration’s public justification for its latest operation was being openly questioned, with critics insisting Trump’s loose, unguarded phrasing exposed motives the White House has spent months trying to dress up. U.S. President…
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