The US president has accused Caracas of sending gangs and narcotics into his country

US President Donald Trump has not ruled out striking mainland Venezuela, accusing the country of sending gang members and drugs into America.

The comments come after weeks of escalating tensions between the two countries. Washington has deployed three warships and about 4,000 troops to the Southern Caribbean, saying the mission targets drug cartels. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro insists his country has already dismantled trafficking networks on its territory.

Speaking to reporters in Morristown, New Jersey, on Sunday, Trump was asked about the possibility of launching a strike on Venezuela and whether he feared escalation from Maduro.

"We'll see what happens," he said. "Look, Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers, and drugs. It's not acceptable."

Maduro insists his government has eliminated all major trafficking networks and vanquished prominent gangs. Speaking to RT on Thursday, the Venezuelan leader said Washington is using the fight against drug traffickers as a pretext for gaining access to the country's vast natural resources. According to Maduro, these actions fit into a broader "war plan" aimed at subjugating the world to the will of the US.

Relations between the two countries have been tense for years. Washington refused to recognize Maduro's reelection in 2018 and imposed sweeping sanctions while backing the opposition.

Recently, military frictions intensified with the US sinking a Venezuelan boat, claiming it was carrying members of the Tren de Aragua gang. After the incident, two Venezuelan jets conducted a flyover of a US warship. Trump has said Venezuelan planes could be shot down if they pose a threat to American vessels.

Last month, Caracas mobilized 15,000 troops near Colombia and later raised the number to 25,000 in border and coastal states described as "drug trafficking routes."

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier warned that the situation is being "unacceptably escalated" around Venezuela, with potentially far-reaching ramifications for regional and global security.