Donald Trump stated on Friday, amid an escalating conflict between Washington and Caracas, that Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro did not want to "fuck" around with the United States.

Trump's remarks followed a report citing three sources that said the U.S. Military was holding two survivors aboard a Navy Ship after an American strike on their suspected Caribbean Drug vessel had killed two other people.

The strike on Thursday was part of a larger campaign by Trump to combat a "narco-terrorist" threat that he claims is coming from Venezuela and linked to Maduro.

Responding to a reporter’s question regarding a report that Maduro offered "everything," which included the OPEC member’s natural resources to secure a U.S. deal, Trump replied: "He has offered everything." You're right. You know why? "Because he doesn't like to mess around with the United States."

Trump's remarks during a joint White House appearance with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy came in the context of an American military buildup that includes guided missile destro-yers, F-35 fighter planes, a nucleonic submarine, and approximately 6,500 soldiers.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Communication did not respond immediately to a comment request, but the Venezuelan Government has laughed at reports in the media that high-ranking officials were negotiating to remove Maduro.

On Thursday, Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez shared a selfie of herself with Maduro on Telegram in response to those she called "liars."

Trump revealed on Wednesday that he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert missions inside Venezuela. This added to the speculation in Caracas about the United States' attempt to remove Maduro.

Maduro denied any link to drug smuggling, and denounced U.S. boats strikes as a pretext to regime change. He portrayed them as violations of international law and sovereignty.

Trump, who unsuccessfully campaigned for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize in Venezuela, brought up the winner of this year’s prize, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. The prize was given to the 58-year old industrial engineer on Friday.

"I didn't get a Nobel Prize. Trump said that someone got it. "It was a woman who is very nice, very nice," he said. "I don’t know who she was, but she showed a lot of generosity." So I don’t care about that stuff. "I just care about saving people's lives." (Reporting and writing by Jeff Mason, Jarrett Renshaw and Julia Symmes Cobb, with editing by Chris Reese, Lisa Shumaker and Matt Spetalnick)

(source: Reuters)