Trump orders relaunch of commercial flights to Venezuela
President trump announced during the White House’s first cabinet meeting of 2026 that he has ordered Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — with help from the military and others — to reopen commercial flights and U.S. commercial airspace over Venezuela “by the end of today.” He saeid he had informed Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, of the move and insisted American citizens would be safe to travel there. Trump praised Rodríguez’s government for cooperating with his plans for Venezuela’s oil industry and thanked Venezuelans for their sacrifices, noting many in the U.S. want to return to visit. Earlier this year he had closed U.S. airspace over Venezuela ahead of an operation to capture Nicolás Maduro; video of his remarks was posted from the cabinet meeting.
Trump orders immediate relaunch of commercial flights to Venezuela
President Donald Trump ordered Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to launch commercial flights to Venezuela “by the end of” Thursday.
The president‘s comments came during a televised cabinet meeting at the White House — the first such huddle of 2026. Trump told the press at the top of the meeting that he had just “informed” Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez “that we’re going to be opening up all commercial airspace over Venezuela.”
“American citizens will be, very shortly, able to go to Venezuela, and they’ll be safe there,” he said. “They’ll be safe. It’s under very strong control.”
The president then turned to Duffy and ordered him, “and everybody else concerned, including the military” to accomplish the task “by the end of today.”
Earlier this year, ahead of the operation to capture former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Trump had ordered the airspace over Venezuela closed to U.S. planes.
“I want to thank all of the people in Venezuela for what they went through,” Trump said, noting that many Venezuelan residents living in the United States want to “go back to visit.”
Trump also maintained his praise for Rodriguez’s government, which has largely cooperated with the president’s plan for the country’s oil industry.
“They’re doing a good job, and just as I promised,” he said.
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You can watch Trump’s comments in full below.
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