President Trump Admits He Made A Phone Call With President Maduro

President Trump's illustration during a phone call. (Wikimedia Commons/Official White House/Shealah Craighead)

JAKARTA - United States President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday that he had made a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, but declined to provide further details.

"I don't want to comment. The answer is yes (phone call)," President Trump told reporters at Air Force One when he returned to Washington DC from his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

"I can't do that," he said when asked to explain the phone conversation, adding:

"I wouldn't say it went well or badly," he said.

Earlier, The New York Times reported on Friday that the two leaders spoke by telephone last week and discussed a possible meeting, citing several sources familiar with the matter.

"We think Venezuela is not a very friendly country. They are sending millions of people, and many of them should not be in our country - (have backgrounds) from prisons, from gangs, from drug dealers," he said.

When asked if his recent warning about Venezuelan airspace indicated an immediate airstrike would occur, Trump replied: "Don't think too much."

This confirmation comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Caracas, with President Trump recently declaring Venezuela's airspace to be "completely closed."

Venezuela condemned the statement and demanded unconditional respect for its airspace.

President Trump's remarks come after months of expanding military operations across Latin America, deploying Marines, warships, fighter jets and bombers, submarines, and drones amid speculation Washington could launch attacks on Venezuela.

On Thursday, he announced the US would "immediately" take action against Venezuelan drug dealers on land, following 21 military attacks at sea since September that killed at least 83 people.

Yesterday, Venezuela called for support from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its member states to work together against the US "aggression", following President Maduro's claims of the US threat to confiscate the country's large oil reserves through "forces".