Trump says Venezuela’s airspace should be viewed as closed. It’s not clear what that means

WEST PALM BEACH Fla AP President Donald Trump on Saturday revealed that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered as closed in its entirety an assertion that raised more questions about the U S pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicol s Maduro The White House did not respond to questions about what Trump posted on his Truth Social platform and it was unclear whether he was announcing a new initiative or entirely reinforcing the messaging around his campaign against Maduro which has involved multiple strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean on small boats accused of ferrying drugs as well as a buildup of naval forces in the region More than people have been killed in such strikes since early September The Republican president addressed his call for an aerial blockade to Airlines Pilots Drug Dealers and Human Traffickers rather than to Maduro International airlines last week began to cancel flights to Venezuela after the Federal Aviation Administration notified pilots to be cautious flying around the country because of heightened military activity The FAA s jurisdiction is generally limited to the United States and its territories The agency does routinely warn pilots about the dangers of flying over areas with ongoing conflicts or military activity around the globe as it did earlier this month with Venezuela The FAA works with other countries and the International Civil Aviation Organization on international issues The FAA and ICAO did not directly respond to requests for comment Saturday Trump s administration has sought to ratchet up pressure on Maduro The U S regime does not view Maduro as the legitimate leader of the oil-rich but increasingly impoverished South American nation and he faces charges of narcoterrorism in the U S U S forces have conducted bomber flights near Venezuela and the USS Gerald R Ford America s preponderance advanced aircraft carrier was sent to the area The Ford rounds off the largest buildup of U S firepower in the region in generations With its arrival the Operation Southern Spear mission includes nearly a dozen Navy ships and about sailors and Marines There are bipartisan calls for greater oversight of the U S military strikes against vessels in the region after The Washington Post stated that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order for all crew members to be killed as part of the Sept attack on suspected drug operators Republican Sen Roger Wicker of Mississippi chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and its top Democrat Rhode Island Sen Jack Reed noted in a joint announcement late Friday that the committee will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances Trump s group has weighed both military and nonmilitary options with Venezuela including covert action by the CIA Trump has publicly floated the idea of talking to Maduro The New York Times shared Friday that Trump and Maduro had spoken The White House declined to answer questions about the conversation Associated Press writer Josh Funk in Omaha Nebraska contributed to this document Source