Audio By Carbonatix
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday that he had spoken with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, but did not provide details on what the two leaders discussed.
"I don't want to comment on it. The answer is yes," Trump said when asked if he had spoken with Maduro. He was speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.
The New York Times first reported Trump had spoken with Maduro earlier this month and discussed a possible meeting between them in the United States.
"I wouldn't say it went well or badly; it was a phone call," Trump said regarding the conversation.
The revelation of the phone call comes as Trump continues to use bellicose rhetoric regarding Venezuela, while also entertaining the possibility of diplomacy.
On Saturday, Trump said the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety," but gave no further details, stirring anxiety and confusion in Caracas as his administration ramps up pressure on Maduro's government.
When asked whether his airspace comments meant strikes against Venezuela were imminent, Trump said: "Don't read anything into it."
The Trump administration has been weighing Venezuela-related options to combat what it has portrayed as Maduro's role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans. The socialist Venezuelan president has denied having any links to the illegal drug trade.
Reuters has reported the options under U.S. consideration include an attempt to overthrow Maduro, and that the U.S. military is poised for a new phase of operations after a massive military buildup in the Caribbean and nearly three months of strikes on suspected drug boats off Venezuela's coast.
Human rights groups have condemned the strikes as illegal extrajudicial killings of civilians, and some U.S. allies have expressed growing concerns that Washington may be violating international law.
Trump said he would look into whether the U.S. military had carried out a second strike in the Caribbean that killed survivors during a September operation, adding he would not have wanted such a strike.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the strikes are lawful but are intended to be "lethal."
Trump told military service members last week the U.S. would "very soon" begin land operations to stop suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers.
Maduro and senior members of his administration have not commented on the call. Asked about it on Sunday, Jorge Rodriguez, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, said the call was not the topic of his press conference, where he announced a lawmaker investigation into U.S. boat strikes in the Caribbean.
Latest Stories
-
Joshua stops Paul in six rounds in Miami mismatch
16 minutes -
US carries out ‘massive’ strike against IS in Syria
30 minutes -
More OMCs slash fuel price as NPA issues jail term warning to hoarders ahead of Christmas
1 hour -
Chief of Staff, Latif Abubakar chart new path for Ghana’s ‘soft power’ through theatre
1 hour -
Otumfuo crushes bid to include queenmothers in House of Chiefs meetings
2 hours -
Firefighters quell huge blaze to save adjoining homes in La Olympio fire outbreak
2 hours -
Otumfuo rallies chiefs to take charge of local development
3 hours -
Afenyo-Markin defiant amid ECOWAS row
3 hours -
Frequent use of emergency contraceptives could affect fertility, youth warned
3 hours -
33 arrested as Kasoa police seize drugs and 45 motorbikes
4 hours -
Ghana positions itself as gateway to Africa in Ambassador Smith’s first meeting with Trump
4 hours -
Ayariga refutes claims of political witch-hunt as Parliament adjourns for the year
4 hours -
Student jailed, three others fined GH₵ 60k for stealing NIA laptops valued at Gh₵ 400k
5 hours -
Techiman police arrest suspects in Twumia; Ghetto destroyed in Aworano
5 hours -
2025 in review: Joy Prime’s Prime Insight to discuss eventful year
6 hours
