Trump: US Will Keep or Sell Seized Venezuelan Oil and Tankers

US President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will keep or sell the crude oil and vessels from Venezuelan tankers it has seized, marking a significant escalation in Washington's pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro. Caracas has condemned the seizures as "piracy" and requested an emergency session of the UN Security Council.

An Escalating Pressure Campaign

Speaking to reporters in Florida on Monday, Trump said of the seized oil, "we're going to keep it," according to Reuters. He added, "Maybe we will sell it, maybe we will keep it. Maybe we'll use it in the Strategic Reserves. We're keeping the ships also."

The Trump administration accuses Venezuela of using oil revenues to fund drug-related crime. The US military has seized two oil tankers this month and, as of Monday, the US Coast Guard was pursuing a third vessel, described by authorities as part of a Venezuelan "dark fleet" used to evade US sanctions. "It's moving along, and we'll end up getting it," Trump said.

Military Actions Under Scrutiny

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The seizures come amid a heightened US military presence in the Pacific and Caribbean. The US has carried out deadly strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats, killing around 100 people. However, it has provided no public evidence that these vessels were carrying drugs, and the military has come under increasing scrutiny from Congress over the strikes.

Separately on Monday, US Southern Command said it carried out a strike on a suspected trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific, resulting in one death. Trump also repeated his intention to expand military operations, stating, "We'll be starting the same programme on land... They're going to get blown to pieces, because we don't want our people poisoned."

Diplomatic Fallout

Responding on state television, President Maduro said Trump "would be better off in his own country dealing with economic and social issues." The Trump administration has designated Maduro's government a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and last week ordered a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country.

As Venezuela's government relies heavily on oil exports, the latest measures have sparked outrage in Caracas. At Venezuela's request, the UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency session on Tuesday to discuss what the government has described as "ongoing US aggression."