The United States has deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford, its largest aircraft carrier, along with its strike group to the Caribbean. This move is part of a military operation targeting drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations in the Western Hemisphere, according to a report by Fox News.
The Pentagon stated that the deployment follows an order from President Donald Trump aimed at "dismantling transnational criminal organizations and countering narcoterrorism to protect national security."
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directed the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group to head to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area, which includes Latin America and the Caribbean.
This strike group comprises the nuclear-powered USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest vessel in the U.S. Navy, and the destroyers USS Mahan, USS Winston S. Churchill, and USS Bainbridge.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell highlighted that the mission is designed to "enhance U.S. capabilities in detecting, monitoring, and dismantling illicit activities that threaten the security of the Western Hemisphere," as cited by Fox News.
In response, the Venezuelan government has indicated that it is gearing up for this deployment, which is reportedly "drawing closer" to its shores, referencing the U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean Sea, as reported by EFE.
The U.S. Southern Command's jurisdiction includes 31 nations and 12 special-status territories in Latin America and the Caribbean. This includes Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently positioned in the Mediterranean, accompanied by three destroyers, as reported by NBC News from three official sources.
Though stationed in that region, the journey to the Southern Command area would take only a week once underway. Its arrival would effectively double the U.S. military presence in the area, which currently includes eight ships, a submarine, and around 6,000 military personnel. The carrier would add another 5,000 personnel to this deployment.
This decision follows a series of U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, including strikes on vessels allegedly linked to the Venezuelan group known as the Aragua Train, classified as a terrorist organization.
In the most recent operation, six suspected narcoterrorists were neutralized, as confirmed by Hegseth. The official warned on X: “If you're a narcoterrorist trafficking drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like Al Qaeda. Day and night, we will track your networks and eliminate you.”
The White House has ramped up pressure on Nicolás Maduro's regime, with Trump accusing him of leading a drug cartel. The President also confirmed that he authorized CIA covert operations in Venezuela, citing that the South American country “has released prisoners into the United States and allowed drugs to flow through maritime routes.”
Meanwhile, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have raised concerns about the legality of these operations, pushing for a resolution to prohibit the use of armed forces in "hostilities" against Venezuela without Congressional approval.
Key Details about the U.S. Military Deployment in the Caribbean
What is the purpose of deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Caribbean?
The deployment aims to target drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations, enhancing U.S. capabilities to detect, monitor, and dismantle illicit activities threatening the security of the Western Hemisphere.
How does this deployment affect the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean?
The arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group would double the current U.S. military presence in the region, adding approximately 5,000 personnel to the existing forces.
What is the U.S. Southern Command's jurisdiction?
The U.S. Southern Command covers 31 nations and 12 special-status territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, including countries like Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela.