Donald Trump is refusing to deny he might go to war with Venezuela and wants to depose its president, Nicolas Maduro.
Asked by NBC News on Friday whether a full-scale conflict was on the table, he said: ‘I don’t rule it out, no.’
The US president recently ordered a massive build-up of warships and aircraft carriers in the Caribbean after American forces seized a Venezuelan oil tanker and blockaded other tankers.
The move ramped up tensions with the South American nation following months of deadly strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in nearby waters.
The White House has accused Maduro of using ‘stolen’ oil to finance his government, which is widely viewed as a dictatorship, and helping drug gangs infiltrate US territory.
Maduro denies the allegations, claiming the US action is aimed at overthrowing him and gaining control of Venezuela’s huge oil resources.
In his NBC interview, Trump refused to clarify whether he is planning to overthrow Maduro.
‘He knows exactly what I want. He knows better than anybody.’
