{"id":2521219,"date":"2025-12-15T07:58:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T12:58:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trumps-tanker-seizure-isnt-shocking-and-unprecedented\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T08:01:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T13:01:21","slug":"trumps-tanker-seizure-isnt-shocking-and-unprecedented","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trumps-tanker-seizure-isnt-shocking-and-unprecedented\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump&#8217;s Tanker Seizure Isn&#8217;t Shocking And Unprecedented"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrumps-tanker-seizure-isnt-shocking-and-unprecedented%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2521219&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the recent U.S. seizure of an oil tanker carrying Venezuelan oil, which has sparked alarm among some media and politicians who describe it as a risky and unprecedented act. However, the article clarifies that the tanker was stateless-flying Guyana&#8217;s flag but lacking official registration-and that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russia-iran-and-china-will-conduct-joint-military-exercises-this-year\/\" title=\"Russia, Iran, and China Will Conduct Joint Military Exercises This Year\">international maritime law<\/a> allows for the seizure of such vessels. This practice is not unusual or reckless, nor exclusive to the Trump administration&#8217;s policies.<\/p>\n<p>The author suggests the seizure is part of a broader strategic effort aimed at applying economic pressure on Nicol\u00e1s Maduro&#8217;s regime in Venezuela, alongside lethal strikes on drug boats. This campaign appears to seek regime change by creating a financial crisis rather than engaging in open warfare. The article also notes that drug cartels are being treated as political actors aligned with Maduro&#8217;s government rather than merely criminal enterprises.<\/p>\n<p>While some, like Senator Chris Van Hollen, interpret the seizure as evidence of aggressive regime-change tactics, the author argues that the action is legally justified and calculated rather than an impulsive &#8220;initiation of war.&#8221; the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-to-make-yourself-invincible-to-media-info-ops\/\" title=\"How To Make Yourself Invincible To ... Info Ops\">article urges readers<\/a> to resist panic and view the seizure as a purposeful, politically significant move within an ongoing strategy to undermine the Maduro regime.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=j6k6ostTyg8\">NBC News\/Youtube<\/a>&nbsp;       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/12\/15\/trumps-oil-tanker-seizure-another-shocking-and-unprecedented-act-that-isnt-shocking-or-unprecedented\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Trump%E2%80%99s%20Oil%20Tanker%20Seizure:%20Another%20Shocking%20And%20Unprecedented%20Act%20That%20Isn%E2%80%99t%20Shocking%20Or%20Unprecedented&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/12\/15\/trumps-oil-tanker-seizure-another-shocking-and-unprecedented-act-that-isnt-shocking-or-unprecedented\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=Trump%E2%80%99s%20Oil%20Tanker%20Seizure:%20Another%20Shocking%20And%20Unprecedented%20Act%20That%20Isn%E2%80%99t%20Shocking%20Or%20Unprecedented&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/12\/15\/trumps-oil-tanker-seizure-another-shocking-and-unprecedented-act-that-isnt-shocking-or-unprecedented\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\" https:><\/path><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/12\/15\/trumps-oil-tanker-seizure-another-shocking-and-unprecedented-act-that-isnt-shocking-or-unprecedented\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Trump%E2%80%99s%20Oil%20Tanker%20Seizure:%20Another%20Shocking%20And%20Unprecedented%20Act%20That%20Isn%E2%80%99t%20Shocking%20Or%20Unprecedented&amp;body=The%20seizure%20of%20a%20stateless%20oil%20tanker%20carrying%20Maduro%E2%80%99s%20oil%20is%20aggressive,%20but%20it%20isn%E2%80%99t%20clearly%20reckless%20or%20an%20act%20of%20'sleepwalking.'%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/12\/15\/trumps-oil-tanker-seizure-another-shocking-and-unprecedented-act-that-isnt-shocking-or-unprecedented\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>News media and politicians are howling in alarm over the U.S. government&rsquo;s supposedly dangerous and shocking <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/newsletters\/morning-report\/5643842-trump-seizes-venezuelan-oil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">seizure<\/a> of &ldquo;a Venezuelan oil tanker.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><\/figure>\n<p>Same framing with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/dec\/11\/lawmakers-venezuela-oil-tanker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more detailed whining<\/a>&nbsp;in The&nbsp;Guardian:<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1143673406\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><\/figure>\n<p>Amid a bunch of Democratic Party alarm-sounding, the panic is at least partially bipartisan. Sample quote:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Rand Paul, a Republican senator of Kentucky, told NewsNation that &ldquo;seizing someone&rsquo;s oil tanker is an initiation of war&rdquo; and questioned whether &ldquo;it&rsquo;s the job of the American government to go looking for monsters around the world, looking for adversaries and beginning wars.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But it&rsquo;s not a a Venezuelan oil tanker, though it was carrying Venezuelan oil. It&rsquo;s a stateless oil tanker, flying the flag of Guyana but apparently not&nbsp;<em>registered<\/em>&nbsp;with Guyana. The maritime journalist and former Merchant Marine captain John Conrad&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/johnkonrad\/status\/1999121027675099213\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">explains this in detail<\/a>. As he writes in that long post:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>No <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >real flag=stateless vessel<\/a>.<br \/>And stateless vessels have zero legal protections.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Stateless vessels are subject to seizure, and are seized. Legal definitions and discussion&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/legal-resources.uslegalforms.com\/v\/vessel-without-nationality\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. This example on the other side of the world is from this year:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <span class=\"fUSiOsLMYZhcJrWAXY8BjuFomdEr3Dx2TlKz9e56Xgc231v0h4ZbHHbaDW6vA4Cn8J7N\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Estonian Navy Halts a False Flagged \" shadow fleet tanker in the baltic sea sailing to russia width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vELAAng9QUY?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Sample&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2025\/04\/11\/estonian-authorities-detain-russian-shadow-fleet-linked-oil-tanker-near-tallinn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">news story<\/a>&nbsp;about this April seizure:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>A Kremlin-linked oil tanker was detained by Estonian authorities on Friday just outside Tallinn, in what marks the first time the Baltic country has directly targeted Russia&rsquo;s &ldquo;shadow fleet.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The vessel, named the Kiwala, had been reportedly operating under the flag of Djibouti. However, it was caught not flying a flag, which is a violation of maritime law. Although the crew provided a flag certificate, the Djibouti naval authority said it could not find the Kiwala in its national registry.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The seizure of a stateless oil tanker is not shocking, not an unusual act of aggression, and not something that only the administration of Mean Orange Hitler would be likely to do. Resist the panic.<\/p>\n<p>With that said, my best guess is that Senator Chris Van Hollen&rsquo;s quote in The&nbsp;Guardian&nbsp;is accidentally correct. The senator from MS-13 says that the seizure of the tanker proves that the administration&rsquo;s story about blowing up drug boats to stop drugs is a lie: &ldquo;This is just one more piece of evidence that this is really about regime change &mdash; by force.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>As I&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/chrisbray.substack.com\/p\/the-drug-boat-attacks-in-the-caribbean\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote recently<\/a>, the lethal strikes on drug boats have happened right alongside continued Coast Guard interdictions by normal means, so there&rsquo;s a logic to the strikes that hasn&rsquo;t been announced and will only become clear to us as it develops. A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/amuse\/status\/1998848273486901718\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">long post on X<\/a>&nbsp;suggests, I think with convincing logic, that the drug boat strikes and the tanker seizure are part of the same effort to starve the Maduro regime to death without fighting a war: &ldquo;The goal is not a ground invasion or a prolonged conflict. The goal is to create a short, intense financial crisis within the regime that makes Maduro&rsquo;s continued rule untenable.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>In that sense, the seizure&nbsp;<em>is<\/em>&nbsp;an act of aggression, but not one that represents a government that is sleepwalking into war. It&rsquo;s an act of aggression with significant political effects and credible legal cover.<\/p>\n<p>That same logic suggests that the Trump administration is treating drug cartels as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/insightcrime.org\/news\/latin-america-cops-ministers-generals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">state-aligned actors and political entities<\/a>, regime organs, not merely as criminal enterprises.<\/p>\n<p>My argument stays the same: There&rsquo;s a strategic effort underway that isn&rsquo;t entirely clear, and we&rsquo;ll see it become clear over time. The seizure of a stateless oil tanker carrying Maduro&rsquo;s oil is aggressive, but it isn&rsquo;t clearly reckless or an act of &ldquo;sleepwalking.&rdquo; We&rsquo;ll see how it develops.<\/p>\n<p><em>This <a href=\"https:\/\/chrisbray.substack.com\/p\/another-shocking-and-unprecedented\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">article<\/a> was originally published on the author&rsquo;s Substack, &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/chrisbray.substack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tell Me How This Ends<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Chris Bray is a former infantry sergeant in the U.S. Army, and has a history PhD from the University of California Los Angeles. Find his Substack, &#8220;Tell Me How This Ends,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/chrisbray.substack.com\/\">here<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Chris Bray<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/chrisbray\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/chris-van-hollen\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Chris Van Hollen<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/coast-guard\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Coast Guard<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/drug-cartels\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">drug cartels<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/guyana\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Guyana<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/john-conrad\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">John Conrad<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/ms-13\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">MS-13<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/nicolas-maduro-2\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Nicol&aacute;s Maduro<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/oil\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Oil<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/oil-tanker\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">oil tanker<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/regime-change\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">regime change<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/the-guardian\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">The Guardian<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/venezuela\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Venezuela<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Media and politicians alarmed over US seizing &#8220;Venezuelan&#8221; tanker<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2086,"featured_media":2521220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Untitled-2025-12-12T131525.572.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5894,68821,3634],"class_list":["post-2521219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-politics","tag-tanker-seizure","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Untitled-2025-12-12T131525.572.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2521219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2086"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2521219"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2521219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2521223,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2521219\/revisions\/2521223"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2521220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2521219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2521219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2521219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}