Trump’s military forces seized what he called the “largest oil tanker ever captured” off Venezuela’s coast in a dramatic escalation.
Story Highlights
- U.S. Coast Guard and Marines seized sanctioned Venezuelan oil tanker using USS Gerald R. Ford carrier assets
- Trump declared America will “keep” the seized oil cargo from terrorist-linked shipping network
- Operation part of broader campaign that destroyed 20+ drug boats, killing 87 smugglers near Venezuela
- Critics claim seizure proves mission is regime change by force, not just drug interdiction
Military Operation Targets Terror-Linked Oil Network
U.S. forces executed a precision seizure of a large oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast using helicopters launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier. President Trump announced the operation publicly, calling it the “largest tanker ever seized” and confirming American forces would retain the oil cargo. The Coast Guard led the boarding operation with Marine support, fast-roping from helicopters onto the vessel’s deck in footage released by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Bondi revealed the tanker had been under U.S. sanctions for multiple years due to its involvement in an “illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.” This justification extends beyond typical drug interdiction operations, directly targeting Venezuela’s financial lifelines that support Maduro’s authoritarian regime. The operation demonstrates how Trump’s maximum pressure campaign combines law enforcement authority with military assets to dismantle terrorist financing networks.
Escalation Shows Trump’s Serious Intent Against Maduro
The tanker seizure represents unprecedented escalation in America’s campaign against Venezuela’s socialist dictatorship. U.S. forces had already destroyed over 20 suspected drug-smuggling boats near Venezuelan waters, killing at least 87 smugglers in 22 separate strikes since September. The day before the tanker operation, American fighter jets conducted the closest flyover to Venezuelan airspace yet recorded, signaling intensified pressure on Maduro’s regime.
Watch:
Trump’s public statements suggest further escalation remains possible. The President warned that “land attacks are coming soon” and declared Maduro’s “days are numbered,” indicating potential willingness to expand operations beyond maritime enforcement. This represents a dramatic departure from previous administrations’ reluctance to directly confront Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy. The USS Gerald R. Ford’s deployment to the Caribbean provides America with overwhelming naval superiority to enforce sanctions against any vessel supporting terrorist networks.
Constitutional Authority Supports Anti-Terror Operations
The seizure operates under legitimate U.S. law enforcement authority targeting sanctioned vessels supporting designated terrorist organizations. Venezuela’s oil sector has become dependent on shadowy intermediaries and shell companies using “ghost tankers” that disable tracking systems to evade detection. These networks directly threaten American national security by financing terrorism while undermining lawful sanctions designed to isolate rogue regimes.
Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized the operation as evidence of “regime change by force,” but this misses the constitutional authority presidents possess to enforce sanctions and combat terrorism. The tanker’s multi-year sanctions history proves this wasn’t arbitrary action but targeted enforcement against known bad actors. Trump’s approach demonstrates how America can use existing legal frameworks to disrupt terrorist financing without requiring new congressional authorizations or lengthy diplomatic negotiations.
Sources:
Dramatic video shows US forces seizing oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast
