Trump Administration Revives Prize Law to Seize Iranian Tankers

The Trump administration is reviving prize law, a centuries-old body of maritime law, to facilitate the seizure and sale of Iranian oil tankers and their cargo. This legal framework allows the Department of Defense to capture enemy vessels during military conflict without requiring a warrant or a specific statutory violation, unlike standard civil seizure laws.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Aaron Reitz confirmed the move, noting that federal courts must be prepared to adjudicate how captured vessels and cargo are condemned, returned, or disposed of. The administration intends to use these seizures to strengthen the naval blockade of Iran and recoup war costs by selling the captured assets.

Legal experts suggest the strategy may face significant hurdles. The law has not been invoked since the Spanish-American War, and because the United States has not formally declared war against Iran, the legal authority for such captures may be complicated.