Pentagon official Pete Hegseth praised the U.S. Coast Guard’s seizure of a second oil tanker off Venezuela, an operation Secretary Kristi Noem said occurred in international waters with U.S. Navy support. Hegseth said the action is part of a blockade aimed at pressuring President Nicolás Maduro and recovering alleged stolen assets. Authorities previously seized the tanker Skipper, which carried about 1.8 million barrels and was falsely flying Guyana’s flag. U.S. strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking and a larger military buildup in the Southern Command region have drawn controversy and calls for review.
Pentagon Official Hails U.S. Seizure of Second Venezuelan Oil Tanker — Pressure on Maduro Intensifies
Pentagon official Pete Hegseth on Saturday evening praised the U.S. Coast Guard for seizing a second oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, an operation Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said took place in international waters and included assistance from the U.S. Navy.
Operation Aimed at Tightening Pressure
Hegseth framed the seizure as part of broader U.S. efforts to squeeze the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He said the administration intends to maintain a blockade on sanctioned tankers to deprive the regime of ill-gotten resources and to press for the return of assets allegedly stolen from the United States.
"President Trump has been clear: the blockade of sanctioned oil tankers departing from, or bound for, Venezuela will remain in full force until Maduro’s criminal enterprise returns every stolen American asset," Hegseth said. "The @DeptofWar, with our partners at @USCG, will unflinchingly conduct maritime interdiction operations — through OPERATION SOUTHERN SPEAR — to dismantle illicit criminal networks. Violence, drugs, and chaos will not control the Western Hemisphere."
Previous Seizures and Regional Operations
Earlier this week, the administration announced a blockade on all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan ports. Authorities said the vessel seized on Saturday had been docked in Venezuela before the operation.
Earlier this month, the Coast Guard seized a large tanker named Skipper near Venezuela’s coast. Officials reported that the ship was carrying roughly 1.8 million barrels of crude and was falsely flying Guyana’s flag when intercepted.
Wider Campaign and Controversy
The tanker seizures are part of a broader campaign by U.S. forces aimed at limiting the Maduro government’s ability to import supplies and acquire arms. Since early September, U.S. forces have also targeted boats alleged to be involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
Those maritime operations have sparked controversy. Lawmakers and civil libertarians raised concerns after reports that a second strike in one September incident may have killed two survivors of an earlier attack, prompting calls for clarification and accountability.
The U.S. has also increased its military presence in the U.S. Southern Command area, deploying warships, fighter jets, Marines, and reconnaissance aircraft to the region as part of the broader campaign.
Source: reports attributed to U.S. officials and Department of Homeland Security statements.
