The US seized two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday – one sailing under Russia's flag – as part of President Donald Trump's aggressive push to dictate oil flows in the Americas and force Venezuela's socialist government to become an ally.

After capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a Saturday military raid on Caracas, the US is escalating its blockade of vessels that are under sanctions and going to and from the South American country, a member of the Opec oil producers group.

The White House also said it plans to roll back some of the sanctions Trump placed on Venezuelan oil in 2019 during his first term.

A weeks-long chase across the Atlantic ended on Wednesday morning when the US Coast Guard and US military special forces, bearing a judicial seizure warrant, apprehended the Marinera crude oil tanker, which had refused to be boarded last month before switching to Russia's flag, officials said.

The US operation was supported by Britain's Royal Air Force and one of its military vessels, which British Defence Secretary John Healey said was part of "global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting."

Russia has condemned the US action and demanded that the United States not impede the speedy return of Russians on board the vessel to their homeland.

A senior Russian lawmaker added that the seizure is clearly illegal.

"The seizure of the Marinera, a Russian-flagged vessel sailing in international territorial waters, is undoubtedly a violation of maritime law and UN conventions. This is piracy of the 21st century by the Anglo-Saxons," Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma, was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.

"It was a fake Russian oil tanker," US Vice President JD Vance said in an interview set to ⁠air on Fox News, excerpts of which were provided in advance.

"They basically tried to pretend to be a Russian oil tanker in an effort to avoid the sanctions regime."

Earlier on Wednesday, the US Coast Guard also intercepted a tanker carrying Venezuelan oil, the Panama-flagged M Sophia, near the northeast coast of South America, US officials said, in the fourth seizure in recent weeks.

The tanker was fully loaded, according to records of Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA.

The Marinera, formerly known as the Bella-1, was empty of oil, but the US says it and the M Sophia belong to a "shadow fleet" of tankers used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.

"The only maritime energy transport allowed will be that consistent with American law and national security," Stephen Miller, deputy White House chief of staff, said in a statement.

"There is unlimited economic potential for the Venezuelan energy sector through legitimate and authorised commercial avenues established by the United States."

US Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that the Marinera crew had made "frantic efforts to avoid apprehension" and "failed to obey" Coast Guard orders, and so faces criminal charges.

Trump has openly spoken of controlling Venezuela's vast oil reserves, in conjunction with US oil companies, after arresting and jailing Maduro, whom he has cast as a drug-trafficking dictator in league with Washington's foes.

Trump said on social media on Wednesday that Venezuela would use the proceeds from its oil deal with the US to buy American products, including farm commodities and medicine.

Top Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, held classified briefings on Venezuela on Wednesday for the US Senate and House of Representatives.

Democrats said they wanted more information. "They are proposing to steal Venezuela's oil, at gunpoint, and use that leverage, forever, to run the country," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told reporters.

In the Fox interview on "Jesse Watters Primetime," Vance suggested the United States would control the country through its oil reserves.

"We control the energy resources, and we tell the regime, you're allowed to sell the oil so long as you serve America's national interest, you're not allowed to sell it if you can't serve America's national interest," Vance said. (Agencies)