White House says US intends to seize oil from tanker captured off the coast of Venezuela
Karoline Leavitt says the US "does intend to seize the oil" from a tanker seized off the coast of Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/6TWk5TEFTD
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) December 11, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC: The White House held a press briefing headed by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday, December 11. During the briefing, Leavitt addressed reporters on the Trump administration seizing control of a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.
When asked whether the Trump administration intended to use the seized Venezuelan oil to help Americans with affordability, Leavitt said that they did intend to seize the oil from the tanker through a legal process.
Karoline Leavitt says vessel carried sanctioned black‑market oil
While speaking to the press about the Trump administration seizing an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, Karoline Leavitt said that the Department of Justice seized the vessel in conjunction with the Coast Guard and the Department of War.
The press secretary added that the vessel was undergoing a forfeiture process at the moment, and the US had a “full investigative” team on the ground and on the tanker.
Karoline Leavitt: "The Department of Justice requested and was approved for a warrant to seize a vessel because it's a sanctioned shadow vessel known for carrying black-market sanctioned oil to the IRGC." pic.twitter.com/B6KZW14qkG
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 11, 2025
She added that those who were on board were being interviewed, and any “relevant evidence” was being seized as well.
Karoline Leavitt stated that the DOJ requested and was granted a warrant for the vessel because it was a “sanctioned shadow vessel” known for carrying “black-market sanctioned oil” to the IRGC.
White House says Trump is uninterested in ‘prolonged war’
Karoline Leavitt termed the Trump administration’s seizure of the oil vessel as one of Trump’s “sanctioned policies.” Media personnel asked whether the recent event would potentially put America at risk for a “prolonged war” with the US troops involved.
“Prolonged war is definitely not something this president is interested in,” Leavitt added.
She continued that Donald Trump had been “very clear” about that and said the president wanted “peace” and wanted to see the end of illegal d***s being t******ked into America.
Leavitt said Trump thought about the American lives lost due to substance abuse and said that with every “d**g boat” taken out by the administration, they were saving “thousands of lives.”
Trump says 'we're going to keep the oil’
Donald Trump confirmed the seizure of an oil tanker on the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday.
During a meeting at the White House, he added that it was the “largest one ever seized” and hinted at other things that were happening.
When asked what was going to happen with the oil, Trump said that he assumed “we’re going to keep it.”
