The White House is calling for relevant departments to produce more options for the president to consider on Venezuela. The National Security Council is pushing the Defense Department for military ideas and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is seeking ways to entice Russia to pull away from Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Current and former officials recognize there are not many more options other than military action or some type of internal revolt.

"It's more sanctions, military or straight up Venezuela flipping," said a senior administration official on condition of anonymity. "And that's a problem. All they have to do is delay, delay, delay and they're still in power."

Pompeo, National Security Advisor John Bolton, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Navy Adm. Craig Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command, met Friday morning and discussed different options to increase pressure on the Maduro government, including military participation.