U.S. President Donald Trump said he has not ruled out the use of military force against Venezuela.
In a phone interview with NBC News on Thursday, Trump warned: "I don't rule it out, no," when asked if escalating U.S. operations could lead to war.
Trump hinted at additional seizures of sanctioned oil tankers and remained cryptic about his ultimate goals for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, saying only: "He knows exactly what I want."
The comments come amid a sharp escalation in U.S. pressure on Maduro's government, including the seizure of one large oil tanker earlier this month and Trump's order this week for a "total and complete blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.
To date, US forces have seized one Venezuelan-related oil tanker, the Skipper, which was carrying approximately 1.8-2 million barrels of heavy crude.
