CNN Analyst Says It's Absolutely Normal' for U.S. to Seize Venezuelan Oil Tanker

"Well, you know, we've had sanctions on Venezuelan oil since the first Trump administration, Sanner said. And Biden kept them, Tapper noted. Kept them, Sanner replied. So, to me, this is absolutely normal. Seizing an oil tanker? Tapper reacted. Yeah, Sanner insisted. We've been seizing Iranian oil tankers in the past. We also, according to the law that I've read, we can that oil is up for forfeiture. So we could keep that. We've kept Iranian oil in the past."

"The strikes, which are legally dubious and have killed more than 80 people, have primarily targeted vessels of Venezuelan origin. The Trump administration's pretext for the strikes is that Venezuelan drugs are killing our people, as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth put it last month. However, Venezuela does not produce fentanyl, which is by far the leading cause of death among Americans who overdose on illicit substances."

The U.S. seized a Venezuelan oil tanker and intends to retain its cargo under forfeiture and sanctions authorities. Recent U.S. strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats have killed more than 80 people and have mostly targeted vessels of Venezuelan origin. The administration framed operations as efforts against drugs, yet Venezuela does not produce fentanyl, the leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S. Sanctions on Venezuelan oil originated during the first Trump administration and remained in place under Biden. The U.S. has previously seized Iranian oil tankers and relied on forfeiture law to keep seized oil.

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