DONALD Trump has cut all diplomatic contact with Venezuela as America prepares to expand the war on drug cartels from sea to land.

The US president reportedly ordered his envoy Richard Grenell to cut all contact with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in a dramatic escalation between the two nations.

Trump phoned Grenell himself last Thursday during a meeting with top military leaders and have the blunt directive, according to a New York Times report.

US officials told the paper the move reflects Trump's frustration with what he sees as Maduro's refusal to step aside and his alleged protection of narcotics traffickers.

According to reports, Maduro wrote Trump a letter in September in which he denied that Venezuela trafficked drugs .

He also offered to carry on negotiations with

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