Trump Administration Releases Video of US Seizing Venezuelan Oil Tanker
The Trump administration on Wednesday released video footage showing U.S. forces seizing a Venezuelan oil tanker.
Earlier in the day, Bloomberg reported that the U.S. Coast Guard, supported by the Navy, carried out the seizure off the coast of Venezuela.
Later Wednesday, Donald Trump confirmed the operation and highlighted its significance.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. Large tanker, very large. Largest one ever seized — and other things are happening. You’ll be seeing that later,” Trump said during remarks at a White House roundtable. “It was seized for a very good reason.”
The administration also released unclassified footage documenting the mission.
“Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. She noted that the vessel had been under U.S. sanctions for years due to its involvement in an illicit shipping network benefiting foreign terrorist organizations.
“This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely — and our investigation with the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil continues,” Bondi added.
The released video shows U.S. service members deploying from a helicopter and fast-roping onto the tanker.
“Today the FBI and our partners executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela — used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela to Iran,” Kash Patel said.
“The tanker has been used in recent years in an illicit shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations,” Patel, the FBI director, added.
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