Donald Trump has refused to rule out going to a war with Venezuela after ordering a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers coming and going from the country.
“I don’t rule it out, no,” he said when asked about possible military action by NBC News.
The Trump administration has led a hostile campaign against Nicolas Maduro’s government in Venezuela, with the US President demanding that Caracas “return all the oil they previously stole from us”.
Washington recently seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, and for months has carried out air strikes on so-called ‘drug boats’ which Trump claims are transporting illegal narcotics to the US through the Caribbean sea.
More than 100 people have been killed in 28 strikes, including one “double tap” strike which has been condemned by several members of Congress.
Asked whether there was a timeline for any future potential oil tanker seizures, Trump told the outlet: “It depends. If they’re foolish enough to be sailing along, they’ll be sailing along back into one of our harbours.”
Trump did not reveal whether ousting Maduro was his goal, saying that the Venezuelan president “knows exactly what I want, he knows better than anybody”.
The US president is facing scrutiny over the huge buildup of military forces near Venezuela, after promising to be the “President of Peace” when he came to power. He was recently awarded the brand new – but widely discredited – Fifa Peace Prize.
Announcing the blockade earlier this week, Trump said: “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.”
He did not clarify what oil, land and assets the White House believes Venezuela has stolen from the US.
The unusually large force amassed in the Caribbean sea 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.
On board those ships are multiple fighter jet squadrons, a variety of Marine helicopters, Harrier jets and Osprey tilt rotor aircraft, with the capacity to transport large numbers of marines and to strike land and sea targets.
A US Navy submarine is also operating in the broader South America area, capable of carrying and launching cruise missiles.
