President Donald Trump denied on Friday that he had authorized kinetic strikes on Venezuelan soil, even though most experts agree the U.S. military presence in the region far exceeds the needs for the current mission.

The Trump administration has developed a multi-pronged approach to squeeze Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, though he has remained defiant up until this point. Their strategy includes doubling the bounty on his head to $50 million, conducting lethal strikes on purported drug vessels, though the attention is now focused on whether Trump will approve strikes on Venezuelan soil, which would be a significant escalation.

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