US senator urges Donald Trump to seize Russian oil tankers from 'shadow fleet'

According to Chris Coons, the Donald Trump administration is already using military forces to intercept "shadow fleet" tankers that support the Venezuelan regime.

He argued that the same tools should be applied to the fleet that finances Russia’s war machine and supports Iran and North Korea. Coons said such a move would likely receive congressional backing, adding that Trump would gain bipartisan support for tougher action against Vladimir Putin and for cutting funding to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

At the same time, the senator criticized US foreign policy, recalling that Trump had pledged during the campaign to avoid "foolish new wars abroad," yet has effectively drawn the United States into confrontation with one of the Western Hemisphere’s most powerful authoritarian regimes, referring to Venezuela.

Coons said Trump should refocus on Russia’s war against Ukraine and other foreign-policy areas where, in his view, available tools have not been fully used.

The remarks come as the United States attempts for a third time to seize an oil tanker in the Caribbean.

Trump and Venezuela

On January 1, it emerged that the Trump administration added Venezuelan-linked oil companies and tankers to a sanctions list. Earlier, on December 16, the US president announced a full blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan waters.

In recent weeks, US forces intercepted two tankers, while a third—pursued by American forces—turned away from Venezuela and disappeared into the Atlantic. On December 29, Trump also said the US struck a facility in Venezuela, reportedly targeting loading docks allegedly used by vessels involved in drug trafficking.

Trump has previously threatened to expand strikes to include land-based targets in Venezuela.