Washington DC - President Donald Trump deployed seven warships and more than 4,500 military service members to Venezuelan waters in a move of political posturing to intimidate President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump deployed a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine along with the seven warships – three of which were guided-missile destroyers – into waters considered to be Venezuela's sovereign territory.

The move comes weeks after the Trump administration placed a $50 million bounty on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which the US considers an illegitimate ruler.

Maduro has been accused by the US government of using criminal gangs to bring illicit drugs into the US and engage in human trafficking efforts.

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It is unclear, however, whether Trump's efforts in the South Caribbean is a show of force or the beginning of a coup attempt.

"This is 105% about narcoterrorism, but if Maduro winds up no longer in power, no one will be crying," one Trump administration official told Axios.

"The president is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday.

"Many Caribbean nations and many nations in the region have applauded the administration’s-counter drug operations and efforts," she claimed, doubling down on Trump's excuse for deploying the US military.

Maduro responded to US posturing by rallying citizens to respond to the US "threat" and spur military enlistments. He described the move as the beginning of an "illegal" attempt at regime change.

"What they're threatening to do against Venezuela – regime change, a military terrorist attack – is immoral, criminal and illegal," Maduro reportedly said on Friday.