Donald Trump has said the US will keep or sell the crude oil contained on tankers it has seized off the coast of Venezuela, as well as the vessels themselves.
The US president’s comments came as Washington continues to pressure the South American country’s leader Nicolás Maduro to stand down.
Speaking to reporters in Florida on Monday, Trump said of the oil “we’re going to keep it”, adding: “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 has accused Venezuela of using oil revenues to fund drug-related crime, while Caracas has condemned the seizures as “piracy”.
The US military has seized two oil tankers this month, including one on Saturday.
Trump issued his latest warning as the US Coast Guard continued to pursue a third oil tanker, which authorities described 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.
Separately on Monday, the US military said it carried out a strike on what it said was a suspected trafficking vessel in international waters in the eastern Pacific. US Southern Command said one person was killed.
Honestly, wouldn’t even be surprised. Every modern day endless war needs a false flag attack to get the patriotic vitriol pumping.
And normally, that’s something you do when support for your administration isn’t already so fucking low it seems like it couldn’t possibly get any lower, and oh my God how can we seriously not even be one year in at this point, what tf does he have planned to create the illusion of a united front against a threat to America?