Trump Team Celebrates New Seizure
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth praised U.S. forces Saturday after the U.S. Coast Guard seized a second oil tanker linked to Venezuela, marking another major step in President Donald Trump’s crackdown on sanctioned oil exports tied to hostile regimes.
According to federal officials, the seizure occurred in international waters with assistance from the U.S. Navy. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the operation, describing it as part of a coordinated effort to enforce U.S. sanctions and protect American economic and national security interests.
Hegseth said the action sends a clear message to Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, whose government has relied heavily on illicit oil sales to fund its operations.
“President Trump has been very clear,” Hegseth said in a statement. “The blockade of sanctioned oil tankers traveling to or from Venezuela will remain in effect until Maduro’s regime returns American assets and ends its illegal activity.”
Hegseth added that the Department of Defense, working alongside the United States Coast Guard, will continue maritime enforcement efforts under Operation Southern Spear. The mission focuses on disrupting criminal networks involved in oil smuggling, drug trafficking, and regional instability.
Earlier this week, President Trump formally announced a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers operating in and out of Venezuelan ports. Officials say the tanker seized Saturday had recently departed Venezuela before being intercepted.
The latest seizure follows another high-profile operation earlier this month, when the Coast Guard stopped a massive tanker carrying approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil. Authorities said that vessel was falsely flying a foreign flag in an apparent attempt to evade U.S. sanctions.
Administration officials argue that cutting off oil revenue is a key strategy to weaken the Maduro government, which depends on energy exports to finance food imports, weapons purchases, and political control.
At the same time, the U.S. military has increased efforts to intercept suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Those missions, which began earlier this fall, are part of a broader regional security strategy aimed at countering organized crime and protecting U.S. borders.
The United States has also expanded its military footprint under United States Southern Command, deploying warships, aircraft, Marines, and intelligence assets throughout the region.
Supporters of the Trump administration say the latest actions reflect a return to firm enforcement of U.S. law, strong border security beyond American shores, and a renewed commitment to confronting hostile regimes that threaten stability in the Western Hemisphere.
