US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he believes Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro's days are numbered, although he denied that his country is preparing for war with Venezuela. The remarks were made during an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes program.

When asked by journalist Norah O’Donnell whether Washington was considering military intervention, Trump responded sharply: “I doubt it. I don’t think so,” adding that “we’ve been treated very badly,” alluding to what he described as problems related to drug trafficking and illegal immigration from Venezuela to the United States.

However, when asked if he thought Maduro's days as president were numbered, the US president was clear:"I would say yes. I think so," a statement that reignites speculation about Washington's pressure policy toward Caracas.

Hours earlier, upon disembarking from Air Force One, Trump was again questioned about possible military preparations. His equally evasive response was:

“How can I answer a question like that? Are there plans for an attack on Venezuela? Who would say that? Assuming there were, would I honestly tell you? Yes, we have plans. We have very secret plans,” he commented critically toward the reporters who persisted with the topic.

The president added: “Look, we’ll see what happens with Venezuela,” and reiterated his argument that the Caracas government had sent “thousands of people from prisons, mental institutions and drug addicts” to the United States, without offering concrete evidence.

The interview also addressed the presence of the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, the largest and most advanced in the US fleet, which is deployed in international waters.

When asked if its location could be interpreted as a sign of a possible air operation, Trump quipped,"It has to be somewhere, it's very big," avoiding any confirmation.

Throughout the conversation, Trump interrupted the journalist several times, redirecting the dialogue toward the topic of immigration and avoiding giving direct answers about the situation in Venezuela. However, his statement about Maduro was one of the few categorical phrases of the encounter: “I would say yes, I think so,” he insisted.

Last Friday, both Trump and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, denied that the United States was preparing a military attack against Venezuela, despite the increase in diplomatic and military pressure on Caracas in recent weeks.

The president's remarks come at a time of renewed bilateral tension between the two governments, marked by economic sanctions and the absence of formal diplomatic relations since 2019. Meanwhile, Venezuela has not officially commented on the recent statements by the US president.

With his message, Trump maintains his administration's stance of not recognizing the legitimacy of the Maduro government, but at the same time tries to lessen the perception of an imminent conflict between Washington and Caracas.