FORMER US President Donald Trump considered assassinating his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro during a White House meeting with usurper Juan Guaido, according to former Defence Secretary Mark Esper.  

He made the revelations in his forthcoming book A Sacred Oath: Memoirs of a Secretary of Defence During Extraordinary Times, Venezuela’s permanent representative to the United Nations Samuel Moncada said on Sunday. 

According to Mr Esper, Trump is alleged to have invited Mr Guaido, who the United States recognised as the true leader of Venezuela, to the White House along with Julio Borges and Carlos Vecchio.

They discussed the potential invasion of Venezuela and the installation of opposition politician Mr Guaido as the country’s president. 

“What if the US military went down there and got rid of Maduro?” Mr Trump allegedly asked. Mr Guaido replied, “Of course we would always welcome US assistance,” it is claimed. 

Mr Esper says he asked Mr Guaido: “Would your people really be willing to organise, train, and fight?” To which he responded that they would.

The former defence secretary was not however convinced by Mr Guaido’s response which he considered weak. 

Plans to bomb a Venezuelan oil installation were also allegedly discussed, with the Jose Antonio Anzoategui Petrochemical and Industrial Complex named as a potential target. 

But a number of attempted coups failed spectacularly, most notably Operation Gideon which was foiled by Venezuelan security forces after being launched from neighbouring Colombia. 

Mr Maduro accused Mr Trump of masterminding the plot after two former US marines, Luke Denman and Aaron Barry, were arrested. 

They were working for US-based private security company Silvercorps which allegedly signed a contract with Mr Guaido to kidnap and even assassinate the Bolivarian leader.