U.S. to keep oil and ships seized off Venezuelan coast, says Trump

U.S. to keep oil and ships seized off Venezuelan coast, says Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump atttends a press conference, as he makes an announcement about the Navy's "Golden Fleet" at Mar-a-lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., December 22, 2025.
Reuters

The U.S. will retain control of oil and ships seized off Venezuela’s coast, President Donald Trump announced on Monday.

“We're going to keep it… maybe we'll use it in the Strategic Reserves… We're keeping the ships also,” Trump said in Florida.

The announcement follows Trump’s declaration last Tuesday of a “total and complete blockade” on sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. U.S. forces were pursuing another tanker in international waters near Venezuela on Sunday, which could have marked the third interception of an oil tanker in the region since 10 December.

The move comes amid rising tensions in the Caribbean, reflecting the U.S. effort to enforce sanctions and prevent Venezuelan oil exports from reaching the global market.

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