Outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel warned that President Donald Trump may be planning a coup in Venezuela to distract from scandals plaguing his administration.
In an interview with CNBC, Emanuel said Trump "is looking to do anything and will do anything" to take attention off of his mounting legal problems.
"We have a phrase in this country: the October surprise," President Barack Obama's first chief of staff said, referencing the advent of political stunts that take place before November elections to affect their outcomes.
Emanuel's warning came after a September 8 New York Times report revealed that the Trump administration conducted secret meetings with Venezuelan rebels to discuss military overthrow of President Nicolás Maduro.