Donald Trump’s early-morning Truth Social post could be read as a signal that something major is about to happen – and it’s something he promised he wouldn’t do
Donald Trump made an ominous announcement – that could be seen as an indication he’s about to take a drastic action.
The US President posted on Truth Social this morning, warning “airlines, pilots, drug dealers and human traffickers” that the airspace above and around Venezuela should be considered closed.
It comes as Pete Hegseth, his secretary of war, was facing fury over claims he gave an illegal order to kill all survivors of a boat sunk by the US military near Venezuela – in an air strike which may have been illegal.
Some have seen Trump’s early morning Truth Social warning as an indication he’s planning to use military force against Venezuela in a bid to overthrow Nicolas Maduro, the country’s authoritarian dictator.
It would be the first unilateral US military action overseas since Trump took office – returned to the White House on a raft of promises not to involve the US in foreign wars.
In effect, the airspace over Venezuela is already rarely used by commercial traffic. Last week the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a security notice warning that the airspace now poses risks to air traffic at all altitudes because of increased military activity and GPS-interference.
As a result, many airlines suspended flights to Venezuela.
On 11 November it was reported that a US naval strike force had arrived in the Caribbean under Trump’s orders.
The US has so far carried out 19 strikes on boats in the Caribbean, claiming they were Venezuelan drug boats bound for the US. At least 76 people were killed in the strikes. The UK has reportedly ceased to share intelligence relating to Venezuelan boats in the wake of the strikes, fearing they could be illegal under international law.
And last night The Washington Post published reports that Hegseth had given an order to “kill everyone” on the first boat strike in September – including two survivors clinging to the burning boat’s hull. Military experts told the Post that because there is no legitimate war declared between the US and Venezuela, and because the men posed no imminent threat to the US, killing anyone on the boats “amounts to murder”.
And even if the US and Venezuela were at war, an order to give “no quarter” – to leave no survivors even if they were unable to fight – would be considered a war crime, according to Todd Huntley, a former military lawyer.
The Pentagon says the “entire narrative” in the Washington Post’s story is “completely false.” Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell said: “Ongoing operations to dismantle narcoterrorism and to protect the Homeland from deadly drugs have been a resounding success.”
Shortly after the strike, Trump posted a video of the engagement on Truth social. The 29-second video shows the boat being targeted, but does not show a second strike against survivors.
Hegseth said the story was “fabricated, inflammatory and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.” He added that the strikes were “specifically intended to be “lethal, kinetic strikes.”” And that “Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization.”