U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday that he spoke by phone with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a rare direct contact between the two leaders as tensions over Caracas’s future continue to rise. Trump acknowledged the conversation while speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, though he declined to reveal what was discussed.
He offered only a brief comment when pressed about the call. “The answer is yes,” he said, adding that he would not characterise the tone. “I would not say it went well or badly. It was a phone call.”
The disclosure of the exchange comes at a moment when Trump has issued harder warnings about Venezuela’s airspace and accused Maduro’s government of links to the drug trade, claims Maduro has repeatedly rejected. The White House has been weighing fresh options for pressuring Caracas, according to Reuters, following months of U S military activity in the Caribbean targeting boats suspected of smuggling narcotics.
On Saturday, Trump said the skies above and around Venezuela should be treated as “closed in its entirety”. He did not outline what that meant in practical terms, prompting anxiety in Caracas and speculation among regional analysts. Asked later if his remark signalled possible strikes, he urged reporters not to interpret it as a direct threat. “Do not read anything into it,” he said.
The administration has accused Maduro of enabling flows of illegal drugs abroad. Reuters has reported that Washington has been examining a range of steps including an attempt to remove Maduro from power, as well as a shift to new military phases after earlier maritime operations off Venezuela’s coast.
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Human rights organisations have criticised the maritime strikes that have taken place in recent months, arguing that they resulted in civilian deaths and may breach international law. Several U S allies have also raised concerns about the scale and nature of the operations.
When asked on Sunday about claims that a second strike in the Caribbean might have killed survivors from an earlier September incident, Trump said he would look into it. He added that such an outcome was not something he would have wanted.
The coming days may bring clearer signals from Washington about its next steps, while Caracas remains alert to any shift in tone or action from the United States.
