Trump orders Venezuela airspace ‘shut down entirely’ in sweeping no-fly threat that blindsides US officials

US President Donald Trump has abruptly declared that all airspace “above and surrounding Venezuela” should be treated as completely off-limits — a sweeping directive issued without explanation and one that stunned his own officials.

“To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY,” Mr Trump posted on Truth Social, offering no details on enforcement, timeline or legal basis.

Multiple US officials said they were blindsided by the announcement and unaware of any military operation or policy shift that would impose an actual no-fly zone. The Pentagon did not respond to media inquiries, and the White House offered no clarification.

Venezuela’s government quickly hit back, condemning Mr Trump’s remarks as a “colonialist threat” and an attack on the country’s sovereignty that violates international law.

Experts said the President’s proclamation leaves a vacuum of unanswered questions. David Deptula, a retired lieutenant general who oversaw a no-fly zone over northern Iraq in the late 1990s, warned that the scale of Mr Trump’s declaration — if meant literally — could require substantial military resources.

“The devil’s in the details,” Mr Deptula said, noting that the intent and scope of any closure would determine what level of force or surveillance is necessary.

The Trump administration has been weighing additional actions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of facilitating large-scale drug trafficking responsible for American deaths, an allegation the socialist leader has repeatedly denied.

The United States has spent nearly three months targeting suspected drug-running vessels off Venezuela’s coast, following a significant military build-up in the Caribbean. Mr Maduro, meanwhile, insists Washington is attempting to remove him from power and says Venezuelans will resist.

On the streets of Caracas, Mr Trump’s sudden proclamation sparked frustration and fear. Manuel Romero, a local cooking assistant, said everyday citizens would pay the price.

“I think it’s unfair because people need to travel to work, to do business, to see their family, and us Venezuelans aren’t at fault for these situations,” he said.

Lawyer Carmen Castillo worried families hoping to travel during the holidays could now be stranded. “We’re confined, here in Caracas, in Venezuela, of course, it affects us,” she said.

Mr Trump’s comments follow a warning issued last week by the US Federal Aviation Administration, which said airlines faced a “potentially hazardous situation” due to “worsening security” and increased military activity in and around Venezuela.

In response, Venezuela revoked operating rights for six major international carriers that had halted flights after the FAA notice, further tightening the country’s isolation and now compounding the fallout from Mr Trump’s declaration.

- With Reuters