The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump is prepared and willing to seize more oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela.
One was already seized earlier this week, on the grounds of being sanctioned and had been shipping crude oil to Iran, which is also sanctioned by the United States, where it will now be taken to a U.S. port, and the oil on board will also be taken.
The seized shipments reportedly totalled nearly 6 million barrels of crude oil.
“However, there is a legal process for the seizure of that oil, and that legal process will be followed,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said to the press the day after the seizure.
Now, a source has reported to Reuters that there are plans in place for further seizures, which have been reportedly planned by the U.S. Justice Department and Homeland Security for months.
This is the latest move in a series of escalating actions from the Trump administration against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and increasing U.S. military presence in the Caribbean.
