“This administration and the neocon war hawks that surround President Trump have made no secret about what their intentions are to further this regime change effort both in Venezuela as well as in Iran. So we are hearing these war drums beating."

U.S. congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii sat down for an interview with MSNBC Tuesday to discuss her campaign for the presidency and her views on a number of topics, including the potential military intervention in Venezuela.

Gabbard told the Hardball host Chris Matthews that U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded by "neocon war hawks" that want war with Venezuela, despite the catastrophic effects that it would have on South America.

“This administration and the neocon war hawks that surround President Trump have made no secret about what their intentions are to further this regime change effort both in Venezuela as well as in Iran. So we are hearing these war drums beating,” Gabbard said. “President Trump is acting not with our interest in mind, not with the American people’s interest in mind and moving forward with something that’ll prove to be very, very costly."

The U.S. congresswoman pointed out that these neocons will cost America trillions of dollars, which will come from the pockets of taxpayers.

“We do have a situation with a cabinet full of neocon war hawks whose history is very well-known in leading our country into one regime change war after the other and to great expense in American lives, to trillions of dollars coming out of our tax payer’s pockets as well as the lives and the suffering at the devastation of the people in the countries where we waged these wars," she stated.

Gabbard's comments came in response to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's claims that "all options are on the table" in Venezuela.