The United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, amid rising tensions between the administration and the South American nation.
“It’s been a very interesting day, from a news standpoint. As you probably know, we just seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela,” Trump said as he opened a roundtable at the White House.
“Actually, a big tanker, a very big one, the largest ever seized. And there are other things going on, so you’ll see it later and you’ll talk about it later with other people,” Trump continued.
A US official confirmed to ABC News that the US Coast Guard seized a Venezuelan oil tanker off the country’s coast.
President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, December 10, 2025.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
