(CNN) President Donald Trump would not rule out the possibility of a military intervention in Venezuela on Friday, stepping up rhetoric directed at a regime the President has already accused of being led by a "dictator."

Asked about the possibility of a military intervention in response to the mounting crisis in the country, the President said that is something the United States "certainly could pursue."

"We have many options for Venezuela. And by the way, I am not going to rule out a military option," Trump said. "We have many options for Venezuela."

He added: "This is our neighbor. You know, we are all over the world and we have troops all over the world in places that are very, very far away. Venezuela is not very far away and the people are suffering, and they are dying. We have many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option if necessary."

The Trump administration slapped sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after a July 30 vote that allowed the President to replace the opposition-held National Assembly with a new 545-member Constituent Assembly filled with his supporters.

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