The United States ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford to sail toward South America in a bold military move. The Pentagon confirmed the deployment on Friday amid a growing American buildup across the Caribbean and waters near Venezuela.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth instructed the carrier and its strike group to reinforce U.S. Southern Command operations. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the mission will target criminal networks that threaten U.S. security and prosperity.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, accompanied by five destroyers, currently operates in the Mediterranean Sea. Sending a carrier marks a major escalation of American presence in an already tense region.
Rapid Strikes Signal Shift in U.S. Anti-Drug Tactics
Before confirming the deployment, Hegseth announced the U.S. military’s tenth strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel. The operation killed six people, increasing the death toll from similar missions since September to at least 43.
Officials said the latest target belonged to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, now labeled a foreign terrorist organization. Hegseth described the nighttime strike as the first of its kind in the campaign.
He declared that the U.S. would pursue narcotics traffickers with the same intensity used against Al-Qaeda. “If you smuggle drugs, we will hunt you down and destroy you,” Hegseth said.
Caracas Defiant as Regional Tension Intensifies
The Trump administration linked several intercepted boats to Venezuela and accused President Nicolás Maduro of sheltering traffickers. The U.S. military also flew hypersonic bombers along Venezuela’s coast, fueling speculation of deeper confrontation.
Maduro praised national forces for securing 2,000 kilometers of coastline in defensive drills broadcast on state television. He claimed the country could repel any U.S. aggression, saying, “Not war—peace forever.”
Regional observers argue Washington’s campaign extends beyond drug enforcement. Elizabeth Dickinson of the International Crisis Group said the U.S. aims to pressure leaders unwilling to align with its interests. “Drugs are the excuse,” she said.
Hegseth compared the operations to America’s post-9/11 war on terror. Trump classified drug cartels as unlawful combatants and declared an armed conflict against them. When asked if Congress would issue a formal war declaration, Trump replied, “We’re just going to kill the people bringing drugs into our country—they’ll be dead.”
