President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump on Thursday denied that his administration is planning a "regime change" in Venezuela, even as the United States expands its military presence in the Caribbean.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after a state visit to the United Kingdom, Trump was asked if he had held conversations with Secretary of State Marco Rubio or with military leaders about ousting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. "No, no I have not," Trump responded, according to EFE.

The comments follow a string of U.S. military operations in regional waters. On Monday, Trump confirmed that U.S. forces sunk a Venezuelan boat that was allegedly transporting drugs, the second such incident during the month of September, resulting in a total of 14 deaths.

The U.S. has deployed additional naval assets and at least 10 stealth fighter jets to the Caribbean, while offering a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro's capture. At the same time, Trump has left open the possibility of more military strikes, saying repeatedly when asked about potential escalation: "We'll see what happens."

Thursday's comments were not the first time Trump has rejected accusations of seeking regime change in Venezuela in recent weeks. Earlier this month, when asked about Maduro's claim that Washington was pursuing "violent regime change through military threat," Trump told reporters:

"We're not talking about that, but we are talking about the fact that you had an election which was a very strange election, to put it mildly"

Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro declared Monday that his country's relationship with the United States is "completely broken," accusing Washington of waging military and political aggression after its latest maritime attack.

"They have destroyed what little dialogue existed with threats of bombs, death and blackmail," the president said, insisting that the United States is preparing for regime change under the cover of anti-drug operations.

Originally published on Latin Times