Trump says 'don't read anything into it' when asked about declaring Venezuela's airspace closed

President Donald Trump defended calling Venezuela s airspace closed saying the country is sending criminals into the U S but advised reporters not to read anything into it when urged whether the warning suggested an imminent strike While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday Trump reported Venezuela is not a very friendly country and claimed it has sent criminals gang members and drug traffickers into the U S On Saturday Trump described airlines pilots drug dealers and human traffickers to consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY When questioned Sunday if the warning meant an airstrike is imminent Trump commented Don t read anything into it WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO REPORTS OF TRUMP PREPARING TO HIT MILITARY TARGETS INSIDE VENEZUELATrump also substantiated a statement from the New York Times that he spoke on the phone with President Nicol s Maduro though he offered no details about the conversation I wouldn t say it went well or badly he announced It was a phone call The president s comments come amid rising tensions between the U S and Venezuela over Venezuela s failure to stop drug traffickers from sending narcotics into the U S TRUMP S STRIKE ON CARTEL VESSEL OFF VENEZUELA SENDS WARNING TO MADURO NO SANCTUARY Since September the Trump administration has conducted over strikes against alleged drug boats in Latin American waters and beefed up its military presence in the Caribbean as part of Trump s effort to crack down on the flow of drugs into the U S The strikes have brought the total number of suspected narco-terrorists eliminated to over with three survivors But as the U S continues to bolster forces in the waters off Venezuela Maduro has called for peace but also remained defiant against what he called imperialist aggression U S WARSHIPS TO PATROL INTERNATIONAL WATERS AROUND VENEZUELA AS TRUMP VOWS TO STOP CARTELSMaduro delivered an address in Caracas last week while brandishing a sword and warning supporters to prepare for confrontation saying the U S will very soon begin stopping suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers on land He appeared at a mass rally in the capital holding the sword of Sim n Bol var the th-century independence leader regarded as the liberator of much of South America Maduro reported supporters the country was facing a decisive moment The Associated Press revealed that he reported For anyone whether civilian politician military or police Let no one make excuses Failure is not an option The homeland demands it Our greatest effort and sacrifice And with Sim n Bol var I come to say that if the homeland demands it the homeland will have our lives if necessary he declared while raising Bol var s sword Maduro framed the situation as a struggle against what he described as external threats urging Venezuelans to mobilize against any foreign aggression Fox News Digital s Diana Stancy and Efrat Lachter contributed to this review