The Pentagon announced that the U.S. military will deploy the USS Gerald R. Ford near South America. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered the carrier and its strike group to join U.S. Southern Command operations. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the move on social media, saying the deployment will strengthen America’s ability to detect and disrupt criminal networks threatening U.S. security.
The USS Ford, currently stationed in the Mediterranean, will sail with five destroyers. Deploying such a vessel marks a significant escalation of U.S. military presence in the Caribbean and near Venezuela, where forces have already increased sharply in recent months.
Hegseth Expands Anti-Drug Campaign Across Regional Waters
Hegseth revealed that the U.S. military recently conducted its tenth strike against suspected drug traffickers, killing six people aboard a smuggling vessel. The operations began in early September and have killed at least 43 people. Officials identified the targeted boat as linked to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang.
Hegseth confirmed that the strike occurred in international waters and was the first executed at night. He warned traffickers that the U.S. would treat them like Al-Qaeda, promising to map their networks, track their movements, and eliminate them anywhere.
U.S.-Venezuela Friction Grows as Both Sides Trade Accusations
Washington has tied several intercepted vessels to Venezuela, where the Trump administration designated Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization. U.S. officials blame the group for fueling regional violence and drug trafficking.
The U.S. recently flew two hypersonic bombers along Venezuela’s coast, escalating tensions further. President Nicolás Maduro responded by praising his forces for conducting coastal defense drills covering 2,000 kilometers in six hours. He accused the U.S. of using drug enforcement as a cover to push for regime change.
Maduro urged peace, saying, “Not war, just peace,” while analysts from the International Crisis Group claimed the U.S. is using narcotics operations to advance geopolitical goals. Hegseth compared the campaign to the post-9/11 “war on terror,” while Trump stated he would kill anyone smuggling drugs into the United States rather than seek congressional approval for war.
