US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was considering strikes targeting Venezuelan cartels on land, triggering outrage and orders for large-scale military exercises from his counterpart Nicolas Maduro.

"We are certainly looking at land now, because we've got the sea very well under control," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if he was weighing strikes on land.

But Trump declined to confirm a New York Times report that he had secretly authorized the CIA to conduct covert action in Venezuela against Maduro.

Asked if he had given the CIA authority to "take out" Maduro, 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?"

Venezuela is taking the threats -- open o

See Full Page