In the wake of threats made by North Korea, public safety officials in Guam are trying to instruct residents on how to prepare and react should a nuclear strike be made against the U.S. territory.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that he’s considering possible military action against Venezuela in response to President Nicolas Maduro’s power grab.
Trump told reporters at his New Jersey golf course that he’s “not going to rule out a military option.”
He added it’s “certainly something that we could pursue.”
Trump has blasted Maduro’s moves to consolidate power, describing him as a “dictator.”
The Trump administration has issued a series of sanctions against Maduro and more than two dozen current and former Venezuelan officials.
But a military intervention would be an extraordinary escalation in response.
On Thursday, Trump said he discussed Venezuela along with North Korea and Afghanistan in a security briefing with top national security aides and Vice President Mike Pence. Pence is traveling to Colombia on Sunday to begin a regional trip that is expected to include discussions on Maduro.
Also Friday, the Peruvian government expelled Venezuela’s ambassador as regional pressure built on Maduro’s government for allegedly trampling his country’s constitutional order.
Peru gave Ambassador Diego Molero, a former Venezuelan defense minister, five days to leave the country.
As part of what it said was a firm commitment “to help restore Venezuela’s democracy,” Peru’s administration also refused to accept a diplomatic protest made by Maduro over Peru this week hosting foreign ministers from 17 regional nations who refused to recognize the new, loyalist-packed special assembly that is to rewrite the constitution.