Trump denies plans for Venezuela war but says Maduro’s ‘days are numbered’

US President Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed speculation that the country is preparing for war with Venezuela, even as he warned that President Nicolás Maduro’s “days are numbered.”

In an interview broadcast on CBS’s 60 Minutes, Trump said, “I doubt it. I don’t think so,” when asked if the US was planning military action against the South American nation. However, when pressed about Maduro’s future, he replied, “I would say yeah. I think so, yeah.”

Maduro, who faces indictment in the US on drug trafficking charges, has accused Washington of using narcotics enforcement as a pretext for “imposing regime change” in Caracas to seize Venezuelan oil.

The remarks came as the US continues to deploy military assets in the Caribbean and conduct air and sea strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels. More than 15 such attacks in the Caribbean and the Pacific since early September have reportedly killed at least 65 people, including one on Saturday that drew criticism from regional governments.

Human rights experts have described the strikes as potential extrajudicial killings, noting that Washington has not yet provided evidence proving the targets were involved in drug smuggling or posed a direct threat to the US.

While Trump’s comments appeared aimed at easing fears of open conflict, they underline Washington’s ongoing pressure on the Maduro government as regional tensions escalate.

With agency inputs