President Donald Trump warned Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro on Friday that he “doesn’t want to f*ck around” with the U.S.
Maduro offered the Trump administration a dominant stake in Venezuela’s oil and other natural resources in exchange for easing tensions in the Caribbean, where the U.S. military has launched missiles onto drug boats en route to the mainland. After Trump refused Maduro’s offer, he told a reporter on Friday that Maduro made the offer because he is too intimidated to put up a fight with the U.S.
“[Maduro] has offered everything. He has offered everything, you’re right. You know why? Because he doesn’t want to fuck around with the United States,” Trump said.
WATCH:
The Trump administration also reportedly authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, which could include Maduro and his administration. Trump authorized military actions on narco-terrorist drug boats off the coast of Venezuela, which have been said to be tied to several designated terrorist organizations.
The U.S.’ continued strikes on the narco-terrorist vessels has led to 27 deaths. The military killed six people aboard a ship off of the coast of Venezuela on Tuesday that was associated with narcoterrorist networks.
Trump rejected all diplomatic outreach to Venezuela on Oct. 6 and ordered Special Envoy Richard Grenell to stop all outreach, Reuters reported. The administration declared they are in an armed conflict with drug cartels and informed Congress on the matter in early October.
The Senate attempted to block Trump’s use of kinetic force in the Caribbean in an Oct. 8 vote, including Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted with Democrats. Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman crossed party lines by voting with the majority of Republicans to permit the use of force in the Caribbean.
More than 70% of Americans support the Trump administration’s strikes against the narco-terrorist ships, according to a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll from Oct. 7.
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