Trump to Maduro: ‘If He Plays Tough, It’ll Be the Last Time’

President Donald Trump issued a stern warning Monday to Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, cautioning that any aggressive move against the United States would be his last.

“He can do whatever he wants,” Trump told reporters when asked about Maduro’s threats. “We have a massive armada formed, the biggest we’ve ever had — by far — in South America. If he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’s ever able to play tough.”

The warning came during a press conference unveiling Trump’s new “Trump-Class” battleship program. Trump fielded several questions about Venezuela and made clear the U.S. is prepared for all scenarios. “That’s up to him what he wants to do,” Trump said, when asked whether the U.S. aims to remove Maduro from power. “I think it would be smart for him to do that, but, again, we’re going to find out.”

The Trump administration has dramatically escalated military and economic pressure on the Maduro regime. Over the summer, the U.S. military surged naval and aerial assets into the Caribbean, closing off drug routes and tightening the blockade on Venezuela’s oil exports. The recently deployed USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier is now stationed off Venezuela’s coast.

At the same time, U.S. forces have seized oil tankers violating sanctions, particularly those shipping crude to Iran. Trump made clear those seizures won’t just be symbolic. “We’re going to keep it,” he said. “Maybe we’ll sell it. Maybe we’ll keep it. Maybe we’ll use it in the strategic reserves.”

The White House has made regime change in Venezuela a clear objective, though Trump left the door open to a peaceful resolution. Still, his warning to Maduro was unequivocal: act against the United States, and it will be your final move.