President Donald Trump on Monday escalated pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, suggesting it would be “smart” for Maduro to step down while warning him against attempting to project strength.

Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trump was asked whether his administration’s ultimate objective in Venezuela is to remove Maduro from power.

“I think it probably would,” Trump said. “I can’t tell him. That’s up to him what he wants to do. I think it would be smart for him to do that. But again, we’re going to find out.”

Trump also issued a direct warning, saying Maduro could act as he chooses but cautioning against defiance.

“He can do whatever he wants. It’s alright, whatever he wants to do,” Trump said. “If he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’s ever able to play tough.”

The president added that the United States has significantly increased its military posture in the region, saying, “We have a massive armada for him — the biggest we’ve ever had and by far the biggest we’ve ever had in South America.”

U.S. officials say American forces have expanded their presence in recent weeks, with roughly 15,000 U.S. troops and multiple warships positioned in the Caribbean.

Trump last week also ordered what he described as a “complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela, targeting the Maduro government’s primary source of revenue.

Maduro has rejected the pressure campaign, saying Venezuela will continue trading oil despite the blockade and insisting that regime change “will not happen — never, never, never.”