Trump signals CIA action in Venezuela

US President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday that he had authorised covert CIA action against Venezuela and said he was considering strikes against alleged drug cartels on land in the South American country.

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Mr Trump's comments triggered outrage from leftist Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who decried “coups d'etat orchestrated by the CIA.”

Mr Maduro also ordered military exercises following a fresh US strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.

Republican Mr Trump declined to comment in detail about a New York Times report that he had secretly approved the CIA to conduct covert action in Venezuela against Mr Maduro.

“But I authorised for two reasons, really,” he said, before listing familiar talking points accusing Mr Maduro of leading a “narco-terrorist” regime and of releasing prisoners from jails and sending them to the United States.

Asked if he had given the CIA authority to “take out” Mr Maduro, Mr Trump replied: “That’s a ridiculous question for me to be given. Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldn’t it be a ridiculous question for me to answer?”

The president added that he was weighing up whether to expand US military actions against alleged Venezuelan drug cartels to the land after a series of deadly naval strikes on boats.