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Mullin: Trump Unlikely to Send U.S. Troops to Venezuela as Pressure Escalates

Sen. Markwayne Mullin said he does not expect President Trump to deploy U.S. troops to Venezuela, emphasizing that the administration is focused on defending U.S. shores. President Trump has declared Venezuelan airspace effectively closed and warned traffickers, while promising land operations “very soon” after a series of naval strikes that officials say killed more than 80 people. Mullin called the stance proactive rather than a commitment to strikes on Venezuelan soil. Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro has mobilized thousands of troops in response, and the two leaders have discussed a possible meeting.

02:36 AM, 12/01/2025Security

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said he does not expect President Trump to order U.S. troops into Venezuela, even as tensions between Washington and Caracas intensify.

“He’s made it very clear we’re not going to put troops into Venezuela,” Mullin told Dana Bash on CNN’s State of the Union, adding: “What we’re trying to do is protect our own shores.”

President Trump has publicly warned traffickers and declared Venezuelan airspace effectively closed. The Federal Aviation Administration earlier advised pilots to exercise caution near Venezuelan airspace.

To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.

Trump also told U.S. military personnel on Thanksgiving that the administration will move "very soon" against alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers on land. Since early September, the U.S. has authorized strikes on vessels it says were involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific — actions officials say have killed more than 80 people.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mullin rejected suggestions that the president has committed to strikes on Venezuelan soil. He described the current posture as proactive rather than a pledge to carry out airstrikes inside Venezuela.

“This is what peace through strength looks like. We’re not going to wait until you come to us. We’re going to go to you if you threaten our country.” — Sen. Markwayne Mullin

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom some U.S. officials have labeled an “illegitimate leader” presiding over a drug-trafficking network, has responded by deploying thousands of troops in the region. According to reporting by The New York Times, Trump and Maduro spoke last week and discussed the possibility of a meeting.

This article summarizes public statements by officials and reported actions in the region; casualty figures and attributions are drawn from official sources and media reporting.

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Mullin: Trump Unlikely to Send U.S. Troops to Venezuela as Pressure Escalates - CRBC News