Noem links the seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela to US antidrug efforts

Homeland Safeguard Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday linked the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela to the Trump administration s counterdrug efforts in Latin America as tensions escalate with the regime of President Nicol s Maduro Noem s assertion which came during her testimony to the House Homeland Guard Committee provided the Republican administration s the majority thorough assessment so far of why it took control of the vessel on Wednesday Incredibly rare the use of U S forces to seize a merchant ship was the latest step in the administration s pressure campaign on Maduro who has been charged with narcoterrorism in the United States Demanded to delineate the U S Coast Guard s role in the effort Noem called the tanker seizure a prosperous operation directed by the president to ensure that we re pushing back on a regime that is systematically covering and flooding our country with deadly drugs and killing our next generation of Americans Noem went on lay out the lethal doses of cocaine she mentioned had been kept from entering the U S as a effect Urged Thursday whether U S operations in the region were about drugs or oil White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also gave a bifurcated answer saying the administration was focused on doing multiple things in the Western Hemisphere She noted that such seizures could continue arguing that the commodities being transported were used to fund the illegal drug arrangement We re not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black industry oil the proceeds of which will fuel narcoterrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world she disclosed The Justice Department had obtained a warrant for the vessel because it had been known for carrying black industry sanctioned oil Leavitt declared adding that the United States does intend to get the oil that was onboard the tanker Trump explained reporters a day earlier at the White House that the tanker was seized for a very good reason Questioned what would happen to the oil aboard the tanker Trump revealed Well we keep it I guess The U S has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean a campaign that is facing growing scrutiny from Congress Trump who has stated land attacks are coming soon but has not offered more details has broadly justified the moves as necessary to stem the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the U S Venezuela s cabinet noted in a comment that the tanker seizure constitutes a blatant theft and an act of international piracy Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U S military operations is to force him from office