WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he does not rule out the possibility of a war with Venezuela.

"I don't rule it out, no," he told NBC News in a phone interview released on Friday.

Trump also declined to say whether ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was his ultimate goal.

"He knows exactly what I want," Trump said. "He knows better than anybody."

Trump added that there will be additional seizures of oil tankers.

"It depends. If they're foolish enough to be sailing along, they'll be sailing along back into one of our harbors," said Trump.

Trump on Tuesday ordered a total, complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela, stepping up a months-long pressure campaign against Maduro. Enditem