The United States has seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, in a move that has heightened tensions with Caracas and caused oil prices to rise.
Trump described the tanker as “very large, largest one ever,” and confirmed the U.S. would retain its cargo. The operation, executed by the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Coast Guard with military support, is the first known seizure of Venezuelan crude under U.S. sanctions since 2019. A video posted by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi showed armed personnel rappelling onto the vessel.
Venezuelan authorities condemned the action as “blatant theft” and “international piracy,” vowing to raise the issue with global bodies. Iran’s embassy in Caracas also denounced the seizure as a “grave violation of international laws and norms.”
The tanker, identified as the VLCC Skipper, had departed Venezuela’s main oil port, Jose, carrying roughly 1.8 million barrels of Merey heavy crude. Satellite tracking indicated it had transferred about 200,000 barrels near Curacao before the U.S. intervention. The vessel had been falsely flying a Guyana flag and previously transported Venezuelan crude to Asia.
The seizure sent Brent crude prices up 0.4% to $62.21 per barrel, with U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gaining 0.4% to $58.46 per barrel. Analysts noted the immediate effect on global supply is limited, as the barrels were already en route to buyers.
This action represents a new effort by the Trump administration to target Venezuela’s main revenue source amid ongoing sanctions and a military buildup in the region. Trump has previously threatened intervention against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom he accuses of undermining U.S. interests and controlling the country’s vast oil reserves.
While Chevron, which partners with Venezuela’s PDVSA, reported normal operations, the tanker seizure underscores escalating geopolitical tensions in the Western Hemisphere and the administration’s aggressive stance on enforcing sanctions.
