By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON, Oct 24 – The Trump administration has announced a significant increase in U.S. military presence in the Caribbean. On Friday, they revealed the deployment of the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group to Latin America, marking a move that goes well beyond previous drug enforcement efforts and represents the most aggressive action by Washington in the region to date.
This deployment adds to the existing eight warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 aircraft already operating in the region. It comes amid rising tensions with Venezuela, a country Washington accuses of supporting drug traffickers and undermining democracy.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated on X, “The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will boost our ability to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit activities that threaten the safety of our homeland and security in the Western Hemisphere.”
While Parnell did not specify when the carrier would arrive in the region, it was recently reported to be traveling through the Strait of Gibraltar and currently located in Europe.
The USS Ford, commissioned in 2017, is the U.S.'s newest and largest aircraft carrier, with a crew of over 5,000 sailors.
Since early September, the U.S. military has conducted 10 strikes on suspected drug vessels, primarily in the Caribbean, resulting in around 40 casualties. Though details remain limited, the Pentagon has stated some of those killed included Venezuelans.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused the U.S. of trying to destabilize his government. On Thursday, he warned that any U.S. intervention would lead to widespread civil unrest, asserting that “millions of men and women with rifles would march across the country.”
The U.S. has doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million, alleging his connections to drug trafficking, claims that Maduro strongly denies.
Tensions with Colombia, Venezuela's neighbor, have also escalated recently, with Trump accusing Colombian President Gustavo Petro of being involved in drug trafficking, comments that Petro's administration finds offensive.
Parnell stated, “These forces will enhance existing capabilities to disrupt drug trafficking and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.” Trump has also given the CIA the authority to perform covert operations in Venezuela.
Shortly after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the carrier deployment, new sanctions were imposed on Petro by the Trump administration, citing issues related to illegal drugs.
Trump has indicated that his administration intends to brief Congress about operations against drug cartels, mentioning that military actions on land could be forthcoming without needing a formal declaration of war.
On Friday, Hegseth reported that an attack on a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean killed six individuals labeled as “narco-terrorists.”
These military strikes have raised concerns among some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers regarding compliance with the laws of war.
Some Republican lawmakers praised the carrier deployment. U.S. Representative Rick Crawford from Arkansas remarked on X, “President Trump is serious about protecting the U.S. and our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere.”
Last week, it was reported that two alleged drug traffickers survived a military strike in the Caribbean and were rescued by a U.S. Navy warship before being returned to their home countries of Colombia and Ecuador.
With only 11 aircraft carriers in the U.S. fleet, they are a valuable resource, and their deployment schedules are typically planned well in advance. Last year, the USS George Washington was sent to South America as part of a pre-scheduled exercise.
The Ford carrier is equipped with a nuclear reactor and can carry over 75 military aircraft, including F-18 Super Hornet jets and the E-2 Hawkeye for early warning operations. It also has a range of missiles, including the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, which is designed for countering drones and aircraft.
The carrier is supported by ships like the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser Normandy and several Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, providing extensive air and naval defense capabilities.