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Last August, the advisers to the Oval Office were discussing sanctions on Venezuela. When the discussion was concluding, President Donald Trump had an interesting question for his top aides. He mentioned that Venezuela is a threat to the regional security, and he asked why the U.S. doesn’t simply invade the country.

Shocking Question?

The question Trump had for the present members stunned them. Those in attendance include the national security adviser H.R. McMaster and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Both McMaster and Tillerson have left the administration since then.

A conversation started after this question that lasted around five minutes. The present members, including McMaster, were trying to explain to Trump why military action is not a good option. They said that it could backfire and cause them to lose the support of Latin American governments. According to one official, Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela, couldn’t be punished for taking his country down the path of dictatorship. The official wanted to stay anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the discussion.

Venezuela Pushing Back

Nicolas Maduro, the president’s son, told Trump to mind his own business and to solve his own problems. He threatened an attack on New York if the U.S. sends a military force to Venezuela. Maduro also threatened taking over the White House if the U.S. attacks Venezuela.

Even some of the staunchest U.S. allies had to side with Maduro in this case. This includes Juan Manuel Santos, Columbian President. Santos is a big supporter of isolating Maduro, but he stated that a military invasion wouldn’t do any good for the region.

Mark Feierstein is a senior adviser at the Albright Stonebridge Group. He said that people outside and inside the administration are aware that they should ignore a lot of the stuff that Trump says. Feierstein thinks that the main concern is raised expectations in Venezuela. He says that the people of Venezuela are still waiting for an external force to save them.

American Responsibility?

Though perhaps an offhand comment from President Trump, many Americans wonder if he isn’t right. They say that if the U.S. can liberate the people of Venezuela, then we have a responsibility to do so. Others decry spending American lives to inject our will into the business of other nations.