Trump Declares U.S. New Owners of 3.7 Million Barrels of ‘Borrowed’ Venezuelan Crude
KEY POINTS
- •On December 10th, the U.S. seized two Venezuelan oil tankers carrying a combined 3.7 million barrels of crude.
- •President Trump announced plans to either sell or keep the oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve while retaining possession of the ships.
- •China condemned the interdiction, highlighting rising tensions given their purchase of 75% of Venezuela's oil and concerns about international law violations.
On December 10th, the U.S. Coast Guard decided to play pirate by seizing two Venezuelan oil tankers, skimming 3.7 million barrels of crude worth approximately hundreds of millions — $90 million from Centuries alone, a non-sanctioned ship flagged Panama but apparently flying a 'You can't catch me' banner. President Trump slapped a giant ‘Do Not Return’ sticker on this oil stash, saying, 'Maybe we’ll sell it,' or 'Maybe' just hoard it in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a glorified oil closet. Meanwhile, China, Venezuela’s biggest sugar daddy consuming 75% of the crude, is throwing serious shade, calling the U.S. move an 'international law violation.' U.S. officials insist it’s all legal due to Panama’s 'treaty notification,' turning global diplomacy into a courtroom drama worthy of a Netflix true crime series. Also, there’s ongoing debate if victims of the Venezuelan regime, suing for $20.5 billion, get dibs or just watch this oil heist unfold.
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Nothing screams 'presidential negotiation' like seizing $90 million worth of oil from un-sanctioned ships then playing 'maybe we keep it' with the planet's energy crisis.
Trump’s plan: Take 3.7 million barrels from Venezuela, stash them like a teenager hoarding snacks. International law? Did someone just skip that chapter.
Seizing oil tankers and calling it justice is America’s latest soap opera. Coming soon to every world news channel inconveniently ignoring the rulebook.
Source: Axios | Published: 12/23/2025 | Author: Marc Caputo
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