The Trump Administration on Wednesday released footage of the US seizing a Venezuelan oil tanker.
It was reported by Bloomberg earlier Wednesday that the US Coast Guard, with help from the Navy, seized the oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.
Later Wednesday, President Trump confirmed the report and boasted about the seizure.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. Large tanker, very large. Largest one ever seized action — and, other things are happening. So you’ll be seeing that later. And you’ll be talking about that later with some other people,” Trump said during remarks at his White House roundtable.
“It was seized for a very good reason,” Trump added.
The Trump Administration also released unclassified footage of the operation.
“Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran,” US Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
“For multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations,” Bondi said.
“This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely—and our investigation alongside the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil continues,” Bondi added.
The unclassified video shows US service members deploying from a helicopter and fast-roping onto the oil tanker.
WATCH:
“Today the FBI and our partners executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela – used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela to Iran,” Kash Patel said.
“The tanker has been used in recent years in an illicit shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations,” FBI Director Kash Patel said.
