Overview
- President Trump announced the capture on Dec. 10 and described the vessel as the largest tanker ever seized, adding that the cargo would be kept.
- Unclassified video posted via Attorney General Pam Bondi’s X account shows helicopters approaching the ship and armed personnel rappelling onto its deck.
- U.S. officials say the tanker carried sanctioned crude tied to networks supplying Venezuela and Iran, with links to entities Washington has targeted under terrorism-related authorities.
- Venezuela condemned the seizure as “blatant theft” and said it will seek international condemnation as regional tensions remain elevated.
- Oil prices ticked higher after the interdiction, and U.S. lawmakers and experts warned of legal risks and escalation as Washington broadens its campaign against Maduro.