Trump Declares Venezuelan Airspace ‘Closed’ in Fiery Post
“…please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY!”
In a blunt and unmistakably Trump fashion, President Donald Trump issued a sweeping warning Saturday, declaring that the “airspace above and surrounding Venezuela” is now “CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.”
To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2025
“To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP”
The message, addressed pointedly to “Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers,” immediately ricocheted across social media, signaling an escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro. Trump offered no additional details in the post, leaving officials scrambling.
Reuters captured the broader context behind the declaration:
“U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered ‘closed in its entirety,’ but gave no further details as Washington ramps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government.”
Reuters also noted intensifying U.S. military activity in the region, reporting:
“U.S. strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean have been underway for months… and Trump has authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela.”
Administration officials declined to comment, and Venezuela reportedly offered no immediate response. The abrupt declaration comes as the U.S. recently warned airlines of a “worsening security situation” over Venezuelan territory, prompting the Maduro regime to revoke operating rights for multiple international carriers.
With Trump hinting “land operations” could begin “very soon,” the post marks the sharpest public escalation yet, and sets the stage for a volatile new chapter in U.S.–Venezuela tensions.
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Comments
Jesus
Now, more than ever.
Everything, everywhere, all at once.
I think the goal here is to capture Maduro for extradition to the U.S. for trial as a narcoterrorist.
That it would deprive Venezuela of its dictator is just a side benefit.
My guess: a Seal Team 6 type operation that surgically extracts Maduro without the necessity of tomahawk missiles and ground troops.
Regime change operations are not in the list of things I voted for.
Meh, so long as it is directed at even arguable national security threats within our sphere and with the goal to reestablish direct US hegemony within our hemisphere then I’m ok with it. If nothing else the redeployment of significant military resources to our own hemisphere, where at least the USA directly benefits from military adventures is more excusable than those far abroad. A sort of triple message; 1. US is paying far more attention at home (America First) 2. US gonna remove direct threats in our hemisphere b/c we can 3. No one can stop it, so other Nations (like Mexico) being served an object lesson with Venezuela to get with the train or get run over by it.
Thanks for illustrating that one almost cannot help but mention Mexico in such a discussion. If you hadn’t already brought it up, I would have now anyway.
If Trump wants to make this point, why suddenly decide to take out Maduro rather than our very own Chiquita from Mexico City, who is every bit as complicit in the exact same trade and a much larger immediate risk to the US, given our large, shared, inevitably permeable border? Is it because Maduro is a commie, and Chiquita (nominally) isn’t? Hm.
I’m OK with 86ing courier boats. But when it suddenly morphs into a remake of Moon over Parador, I smell neocons at the foreign policy levers again.
Yep. Can’t avoid Mexico in the discussion. Why now with Venezuela? I suspect it is viewed as both an easier target with less potential for spillover effects (though some exist) and an wider ‘sell’/easier to justify given the narcoterrorist State designation. Mexico hosts a good deal of manufacturing for US companies, we share a nearly 2000 mile border and there are far more 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation Mexican ‘immigrants’ who may hold residual allegiance to the ‘old country’ than from Venezuela.
Smack around the easier target and maybe Mexico figures out there’s actual military bite behind the diplomatic bark, that what we.can do in one place we can do in another, especially when the other place is more complicit in inflicting a wider range of ills/harms onto US Citizens.
Definitely agreed about long duration boots on the ground.
True. On the other hand, unlike in Afghanistan, Vietnam, etc., the Monroe Doctrine applies here.
Sure and we shouldn’t forget the Monroe Doctrine was/is not only expressing the USA objection to new European (or other) expansion in the ‘new world’ but also directly declaring the USA to be neutral re existing European colonies in the ‘new world’ and implicitly restating our neutrality elsewhere aka a policy of non intervention among other powers. (Easier to make that last point 200+ years ago when we generally lacked the capacity to project power b/c as we’ve seen since when we HAVE tools we desire to USE them regardless of whether doing so was in our direct National Security interest or not)
I was thinking the same thing but I chickened out posting it first.
Obviously, I’m not an ex-astronaut or fighter pilot.
Apparently, according to CNN, lots of two time Trump voters also didn’t vote for enforcing immigration laws 🤣🤣
Regime change in Venezuela and enforcing immigration are not one and the same so I don’t see where you’re coming from.
The same folks running the illegal aliens North are also running drugs North to their US based associates for further sale and yes they are selling folks into sex slavery.
Maduro ain’t a hydra and cutting the head off doesn’t create multiple new heads on the same body.
A regime that has Hamas and Hezbollah training grounds. The CCP in the locale. Drug trafficking. Trump… having to do the dirty work for a lot of things you needed to vote for but didn’t know. If anything happened to a love one… and nothing had been done… what?..”Why didn’t Trump do this?” I understand any reluctance to these “adventures” but the absence of conflict is not peace. Look at Islam in the US….. their “regime” is moving along nicely.
Then consider them lagniappe.
Lagniappe is just a French term for “goodwill” (a “customer tip” that flows in the opposite direction of a “waiter tip”). A “free treat” that offends the customer is a bad choice, and bad business all around.
Precedent? Not too many complained.
“The invasion came by sea, air and land. Thousands of US troops descended on Panama, seeking to unseat its de facto leader and bring him to Miami to face drug charges.
It was 20 December 1989, and the once close relationship between General Manuel Noriega and the US had deteriorated to the point of no return.
In an address to the nation, then President George H W Bush said he had ordered military forces to Panama to “protect the lives of American citizens” and bring Noriega “to justice”.
The announcement came days after Panamanian forces killed an American serviceman. At the time, Noriega was also facing a US indictment for drug-trafficking, as well as claims he had rigged a 1989 election.
Operation Just Cause, as it was dubbed by the US, saw more than 20,000 US troops invade the country and seize control of key military installations.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-50837024
In the case of Panama, Noriega had foolishly declared war on the USA. Bush had every right to take him at his word and act accordingly. I never understood what Noriega thought he was doing with that.
Yes, thanks for calling out Daddy “CIA” Bush. You are spot on,
The CIA has proven that it’s just as happy to destabilize our own nation as some banana republic. Especially during the administration of our own CIA-installed banana.
I’m not in a mood to pay good money to keep watching the sequels.
The whole military is corrupt. Taking out Maduro will change little.
I guess it’s a start though
Trump is the leader of the world right now.
His going after the drug production that is killing 100s if not 1000s of kids across the western hemisphere, will save 1000s more of lives if not more.
Doing the job everyone else doesn’t have the balls to do.
Iran has a training facility in Venezuela. How many of their trainees came across our southern border during the Biden years? Possibly over 1,000, maybe more. That in itself is an act of war. Maduro and his regime need to held accountable. The tighter the noose the more likely he folds. The military and security apparatus needs to be pushed out and with it the Cubans, ChiComs, Iranians and other terrorists/narco terrorist holding the Venezuelan people hostage.
The Venezuelan people aren’t blameless here. While the last election might have been questionable they have voted socialists into office as have the Brazilians, Colombians, and Nicaraguans Probably other countries as well but who can keep track. Also for that matter
NYC, Seattle, Portland, etc…. The citizens of those countries should be heavily vetted before allowed here and its a pity we can’t do the same for those US cities.
I get the message. Maduro is this week’s Emmanuel Goldstein.
Turn on the two-minute hate, brother, so we can all enjoy watching it.
The FAA issued a NOTAM (once Notice to Airmen, since 2021, for PC purposes, Notice to Air Missions) last Friday:
“A background statement released the same day as the notam details recent operational hazards. Since September, the agency said there has been “an increase in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) interference in the Maiquetia Flight Information Region…as well as activity associated with increasing Venezuela military readiness.” GNSS jammers and spoofers may affect aircraft “out to 250 nautical miles” and disrupt communication, navigation, and surveillance systems.”
Apparently, Venezuela is jamming GPS signals.
That sort of thing would have set the Wright Brothers back years.