We can now report some new details about that seized Venezuelan oil tanker that we first described on Wednesday, and it's interesting news indeed; it seems that this tanker, curiously named Skipper, has been spoofing its broadcast location data. But as it happens, it was unable to evade good old American reconnaissance.
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday announced that the FBI, Homeland Security Department, and U.S. Coast Guard “executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.”
Bondi further noted that the tanker “has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.”
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. For multiple… pic.twitter.com/dNr0oAGl5x
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) December 10, 2025
If this is indeed a network, it would stand to reason that there are other illicit ships out there transporting crude oil to evade sanctions. Fine. Let's seize those too, confiscate the crude oil, and pour it into American refineries. Prize money, as it were.
Here's the onion:
A New York Times report revealed that the tanker could have been trying to conceal its location by transmitting false data — and that it has used this maneuver on several occasions.
The oil tanker seized by the United States off the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday may have been trying to conceal its whereabouts by broadcasting falsified location data, according to a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery and photographs.
U.S. officials did not publicly name the vessel, but one official told The Times that it was a ship called the Skipper. Although the vessel’s location transponder indicated that it was anchored in the Atlantic Ocean near Guyana and Suriname, The Times found that from late October to at least Dec. 4, the ship was actually hundreds of miles away off Venezuela.
A satellite image captured on Nov. 18 shows the tanker docked at the country’s José oil terminal while its transponder showed that it was elsewhere.
The ship’s location was further corroborated by a photograph taken from land as it loaded oil. The image was provided by TankerTrackers.com, a company that monitors global oil shipping.
If anyone harbors any doubt that the crew of this ship was up to no good, this spoofing of location data should dispel those doubts.
Read More: Opposition Leader Machado: End Maduro's Reign of Repression Now
U.S. Seizes Massive Venezuelan Tanker: Trump Teases More (Updated)
The New York Times piece also said:
“Skipper has transported nearly 13 million barrels of Iranian and Venezuelan oil since joining the global dark fleet of tankers in 2021,” said Samir Madani, the co-founder of TankerTrackers.com, referring to ships that obscure their true locations. The ship delivered Iranian oil to Syria in 2024 when it was under the control of Bashar al-Assad, helping his government prolong a civil war, Mr. Madani said.
From February to July this year, the ship transported nearly two million barrels of crude oil from Iran to China.
To China. Isn't that interesting?
The Times also presents us with a map of the Skipper's travel, and it's an itinerary of unsavory places.
— Ward Clark (@TheGreatLander) December 11, 2025
Fine, fine. Now that the ship has been seized by the United States, let's pour those nearly two million barrels of crude oil into American refineries. The proceeds from the sale of that oil can always be put into an account to be paid to any new Venezuelan government, say, one led by a certain recent Nobel Peace Prize winner, after which Venezuela would be able to realize proceeds from the sale of that South American country's oil more legitimately.
And, if the United States encounters any more of these "ghost fleet" ships, let's treat them the same way. Hitting an opponent in the wallet has always been a deucedly effective tactic.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
Help us continue to report on the administration’s peace through strength foreign policy and its successes. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member