Donald Trump refuses to rule out going to war with Venezuela

“I don’t rule it out, no.”

Trump this week ordered a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers coming and going from the country.

Asked by NBC News about possible military action against Venezuela, Trump said: “I don’t rule it out, no.”

Trump has demanded that Venezuela “return all the oil they previously stole from us”, as he is leading a hostile campaign against the government of Nicolas Maduro.

The US for months has carried out air strikes on the so-called “drug boats”, which Trump says are transporting illegal narcotics through the Caribbean Sea to America.

In 28 strikes ordered by Trump, more than 100 people have been killed, while several members of US Congress condemned a recent “double tap” strike.

“It depends. If they’re foolish enough to be sailing along, they’ll be sailing along back into one of our harbours”, Trump said when asked if there was a timeline for any future potential oil tank seizures.

Trump further added that Venezuela President Maduro “knows exactly what I want, he knows better than anybody”, but did not reveal if ousting him was his objective.

Earlier this month, he warned Maduro to flee country “to save himself and his family.”

“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America. It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us”, Trump said as he announced the blockade earlier this week.

The US has amassed a large military force in the Caribbean Sea which includes 15,000 personnel operating with the US Southern Command, and 11 Navy warships – including America’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford – along with five destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, and two cruisers.