Senator Graham Says Trump Floated Using Military Force in Venezuela

Graham recounted the exchange to Axios, telling the news outlet that Trump asked him what he thought about using military force in a nation where the US is pushing for regime change.

"Well, you need to go slow on that, that could be problematic," Graham recalls him saying to Trump, according to Axios. Trump reportedly replied, "well, I'm surprised, you want to invade everybody.'"

"And I said, 'I don't want to invade everybody, I only want to use the military when our national security interests are threatened,'" Graham told Axios.

Graham added that Trump is "really hawkish" when it comes to Venezuela. But Axios noted that there are no signs the Trump administration has plans to invade the South American country, The Hill reported.

Instead, the administration appears to be pushing for regime change in the nation through diplomatic and economic pressures.

The report comes as tensions escalate between the US and Venezuela president Nicolas Maduro amid a political crisis in the nation. The Trump administration last week recognized Juan Guaido, the president of Venezuela's National Assembly, as Venezuela’s interim president.

Canada, the Organization of American States, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia also endorsed Guaido after he declared himself interim president last Wednesday. Election officials said Maduro won the most recent election, but many organizations consider the results illegitimate.

Maduro has meanwhile vowed to hold onto power, and on Wednesday gave all US diplomats 72 hours to leave the country.

Guaido told The Washington Post on Sunday that he's in talks with military and civilian officials as part of an effort to oust Maduro.

“We have been in talks with government officials, civilian and military men,” Guaido told the Post. “This is a very delicate subject involving personal security. We are meeting with them, but discreetly.”