The Pentagon announced on Friday that the U.S. military would be deploying an aircraft carrier to the waters off South America in response to recent actions by the Trump administration targeting drug-carrying boats. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group to the U.S. Southern Command region to enhance the capability to detect and disrupt illicit activities that threaten the safety and prosperity of the United States.
Currently, the USS Ford, accompanied by five destroyers, is stationed in the Mediterranean Sea, with one destroyer in the Arabian Sea and another in the Red Sea. The aircraft carrier was reported to be in port in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea as of Friday. The deployment of the aircraft carrier will provide additional resources to a region that has already seen a significant U.S. military presence in the Caribbean Sea and off the coast of Venezuela.
There are over 6,000 sailors and Marines on eight warships in the region, and if the entire USS Ford strike group arrives, it could bring nearly 4,500 more sailors and nine squadrons of aircraft. Tropical Storm Melissa, currently stationary in the central Caribbean, poses a potential threat as it could intensify into a hurricane.
Prior to the announcement, Hegseth confirmed the 10th strike on a suspected drug-running vessel, resulting in six casualties and bringing the total death toll from the attacks initiated in early September to at least 43 individuals. The vessel targeted was linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, marking the second operation tied to this group by the Trump administration.
The recent strikes have escalated, with three occurring this week, including operations in the eastern Pacific Ocean targeting cocaine smuggling routes. The Trump administration has also imposed sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro and members of his government over alleged involvement in the global drug trade.
Meanwhile, tensions with Venezuela have heightened, with the U.S. military conducting operations near the country’s coast and the Venezuelan government conducting defence exercises to prepare for potential U.S. actions. The U.S. military’s actions in the region are seen as a message to align with U.S. interests, according to experts, indicating a broader strategic objective beyond drug interdiction.
