US European Command said on Wednesday that it had boarded the Marinera, a Russian-flagged oil tanker, over alleged sanctions violations, bringing to an end a dramatic two-week pursuit that began in the Caribbean and concluded in the Atlantic.
Separately on Wednesday, the US Coast Guard announced it had intercepted another dark-fleet tanker that is under sanctions, the M Sophia, in a pre-dawn operation in the Caribbean.
Commenting on the twin operations, the White House signalled it would continue to seize Venezuela-linked oil vessels after Donald Trump last month imposed what he described as a “complete blockade” on ships transporting oil for Caracas.
Asked whether the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the Atlantic risked escalating tensions with Russia, Leavitt did not respond directly, saying the vessel’s crew could be transferred to the US for prosecution “if necessary”.
US seizes Russian-flagged oil tanker in Atlantic after two-week pursuit
The operation is likely to strain relations with Vladimir Putin, coming at a sensitive moment as negotiations over a potential peace deal in Ukraine continue and after the US capture of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, a longstanding Kremlin ally.
Initial reports suggest the ageing tanker is empty, having been en route to pick up Venezuelan oil before changing course. Even so, Moscow appears to have gone to considerable lengths to protect the vessel, raising questions about why it is willing to risk a standoff with the west over it.
Marco Rubio says he will meet Danish officials to discuss Greenland next week
An urgent meeting had been requested by the foreign ministers of Greenland and Denmark, which has said that any invasion or seizure of the territory by its Nato ally would mark the end of the western military alliance and “post-second world war security”.
Woman in Minnesota fatally shot by ICE agent during raid
Federal agents shot and killed a woman during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Wednesday. While Democratic leaders in Minnesota and Washington expressed horror and called for an investigation into the killing, Trump and top administration officials moved to blame the victim and make claims not supported by video of the shooting.
Trump pulls US out of 66 international bodies, including key UN climate treaty
The Trump administration will withdraw from dozens of international organizations, including the UN’s population agency and the UN treaty that establishes international climate negotiations, as the US further retreats from global cooperation.
Venezuela attack splits Washington along predictable lines
The full Senate on Wednesday heard details of the 3 January attack, which involved US special forces from Delta Force swooping into Venezuela before dawn to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Republicans have rallied behind Trump’s characterization of the raid as a straightforward law enforcement action to arrest an indicted drug trafficker. Democrats warn of an illegal act of war that could plunge Venezuela into chaos and set a dangerous precedent for unilateral presidential action.
Trump says he plans crackdown on defense firms
Trump has claimed he plans to target executive compensation and shareholder payouts at military defense contractors, as his administration ramps up spending on the armed forces.
In a post on social media, the US president said defense giants had been failing to swiftly deliver “vital” equipment to the US military and its allies across the world. The firms are paying “exorbitant” salaries to their top executives and vast dividends to shareholders while equipment is “NOT BEING MADE FAST ENOUGH”, Trump said.
Trump says he will ban big investors from buying single-family homes
In a post on Truth Social, his social media platform, the US president said he will be asking Congress to codify the measure and will be discussing additional housing and affordability proposals in a speech at the Davos World Economic Forum.
Trump administration releases updated dietary guidelines: ‘Eat real food’
The Trump administration has released updated dietary guidelines for Americans on Wednesday that emphasize eating whole and minimally processed foods, scaling back refined carbohydrates and “declaring war” on added sugars.
What else happened today:
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado will publish a book in the US that lays out her vision for Venezuela’s political reconstruction as the country faces significant upheaval.
US immigration agents have been involved in a sharp rise in shootings in recent months, coinciding with the Trump administration’s expanded immigration enforcement efforts.
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of cities across Colombia to decry Donald Trump’s threats to expand his military campaign in South America into their territory, after last weekend’s deadly attack on Venezuela.
A judge has ordered the Donald Trump-appointed lawyer who led failed prosecutions of two of his political opponents to explain why she is still representing herself as US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, after another judge ruled she was in the position unlawfully.
Reality television personality Spencer Pratt is running to be the next mayor of Los Angeles. Pratt announced his campaign on Wednesday at a rally to mark the first anniversary of the deadly Palisades fire.
Catching up? Here’s what happened on 6 January 2026.
