Fred Fleitz and Dan Rice say Trump is 'not going to invade Venezuela'

WASHINGTON, DC: Former National Security Council chief of staff Fred Fleitz and former Ukraine armed forces adviser Dan Rice said that President Donald Trump is preparing for a tougher stance against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

However, they stressed that Trump is not going to invade the country, following the president’s remark about shutting down airspace.

 Fred Fleitz and Dan Rice on Trump's pressure campaign against Venezuela

Speaking to Newsmax’s ‘The Count’ on Saturday, November 29, Fleitz and Rice said that the United States is entering a decisive phase in its confrontation with Venezuela, with Trump signaling unprecedented steps to crack down on the Maduro regime and its ties to drug cartels.

According to Fleitz, Trump's declaration that he may shut down Venezuelan airspace marks a dramatic escalation aimed at targeting narcotics trafficking networks that move d**gs into the US.

He said the administration's pressure campaign is so severe that it could ultimately push Maduro from power, calling that a "great outcome," even if not the stated objective, while airstrikes on d**g labs, distribution hubs, and select military facilities are under consideration.

"I think when we hear about land strikes, the president's thinking of hitting d**g labs and facilities that are transporting these weapons, including some military sites. But I don't think the president has any intention of sending in ground troops. We're not going to invade Venezuela," Fleitz said.

Next phase of pressure on Venezuela

According to Rice, the US has assembled the largest naval presence in the region since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, a posture he said cannot be maintained indefinitely.

He argued Trump's decision to close Venezuelan airspace is only the first step, predicting that strikes are likely and that special operations or intelligence officers may already be positioned to coordinate them.

He said even the threat of US action forces cartels to scatter, disrupt supply lines, and rethink their operations. "Under former President Joe Biden, being a narcoterrorist was a great career path," Rice said. "Not so much anymore."

Trump orders closure of Venezuelan airspace

On Saturday, Trump announced that the airspace “above and surrounding” Venezuela has been closed.

Trump posted the announcement on his Truth Social platform, writing, “To all Airlines, Pilots, D**g 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 declaration marked a major escalation in the already fraught relationship between the US and Venezuela, landing in the middle of warnings about possible military action against the Venezuelan leadership.