A side-by-side photo of President Donald Trump and Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez. (Joe Raedle/Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)
Defending that approach, Trump said, "Rebuilding there and regime change, anything you want to call it, is better than what you have right now. Can’t get any worse," he added.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Trump’s remarks followed a stunning predawn announcement Saturday that U.S. operators had carried out a mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
VENEZUELA HOLDS THE WORLD’S LARGEST OIL RESERVES. HERE’S HOW OTHERS COMPARE
Speaking at a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said a U.S.-appointed team would "run Venezuela" until the country's political leadership was stabilized.
He also pledged a return of U.S. energy investment to the cash-strapped Latin American country which sits atop the world's largest oil reserves.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. will ‘run’ Venezuela until the political environment in the country stabilizes. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
Trump also hinted that Venezuela would not be the last nation to face U.S. pressure, raising the prospect of additional interventions beyond Latin America.
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As an example, he reiterated his long-standing interest in Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally.
"We do need Greenland, absolutely," Trump told the magazine, citing U.S. national security interests and strategic location.
Amanda covers the intersection of business and politics for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-issues-direct-warning-venezuelas-new-leader-delcy-rodriguez-following-maduro-capture