President Trump said U.S. forces remain in pursuit of the tanker Bella 1 off Venezuela and repeated threats aimed at President Nicolás Maduro. U.S. officials consider Bella 1 part of a shadow fleet moving sanctioned oil, and authorities obtained a warrant to seize the vessel. The U.S. has intercepted other tankers this month amid a major naval buildup; Trump said seized oil and ships will be kept and could be placed in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The situation underscores rising maritime pressure on Maduro’s government and the potential for further escalation.
Trump Says U.S. Forces Still Pursuing Tanker Bella 1, Urges Maduro To Step Down
An image captured on March 18 shows the Bella 1 vessel. - Hakon Rimmereid/Reuters/File
President Donald Trump said Monday that U.S. forces continue to pursue the oil tanker Bella 1 off Venezuela’s coast more than 24 hours after the chase began, and he renewed sharp warnings aimed at Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Pursuit, Sanctions and Conflicting Reports
“It’s moving along and we’ll end up getting it,” Trump told CNN’s Samantha Waldenberg during remarks in Palm Beach. He asserted the vessel had “come from the wrong location” and said it “came out of Venezuela,” although public tracking data indicated Bella 1 was sailing toward Venezuela when the U.S. Coast Guard attempted to interdict the ship.
U.S. officials view Bella 1 as part of a “shadow fleet” that helps move oil from sanctioned countries, and authorities had obtained a warrant for the vessel’s seizure. The U.S. has intercepted two other tankers off Venezuela this month amid a significant naval buildup in the Caribbean intended to choke off oil revenues to Maduro’s government.
Threats, Blockade and Seized Assets
When asked about Washington’s ultimate objective in Venezuela, Trump declined to specify a clear endgame but reiterated threats of force and signaled he would like Maduro to step down.
"There’s no answer. He can do whatever he wants. We have a massive armada — the biggest we’ve ever had, and the biggest we’ve ever had in South America," Trump said. "If he plays tough, it’d be the last time he’s ever able to play tough."
Trump, who last week ordered a "complete" blockade of sanctioned tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, said seized oil and ships would be retained by the United States and could be added to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. "We’re going to keep it," he said, adding that the U.S. would also keep the ships.
He also said he had spoken with American oil companies whose Venezuelan assets were seized, discussing possible scenarios for a post-Maduro Venezuela.
Recent Maritime Actions
On Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted the tanker Centuries in international waters off Venezuela; White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said it was carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil, though the vessel did not appear on an official list of sanctioned ships. Earlier, on Dec. 10, U.S. authorities seized a large tanker named Skipper, which had been under sanctions for ties to Iran.
The developments come as Washington uses maritime interdictions, sanctions and a visible naval presence to pressure Maduro’s government and limit its access to oil revenue.
What To Watch: The status of Bella 1, whether seized cargo is transferred to the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and how Caracas or third-party nations react to sustained U.S. maritime operations in the region.
