US to Send Gerald Ford Carrier Group to Latin America Amid Rising Tensions

The Trump administration announced Friday the deployment of the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group to Latin America, marking a major escalation of U.S. military presence in the Caribbean. The move comes amid heightened tensions with Venezuela and growing concerns over drug trafficking in the region.

The deployment adds to the eight warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 aircraft already operating in the area. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the increased presence “will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States and our security in the Western Hemisphere.”

The Gerald Ford, commissioned in 2017, is the newest and largest U.S. aircraft carrier, hosting over 5,000 sailors and more than 75 aircraft, including F-18 Super Hornets and E-2 Hawkeye early warning planes. It is supported by guided missile cruisers and destroyers capable of anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine operations.

The announcement follows a series of U.S. strikes against alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean since September, which reportedly killed around 40 people, including some Venezuelans. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has condemned U.S. actions, warning of a nationwide insurrection if the country is invaded.

Relations are also strained with Colombia, after President Trump accused Colombian President Gustavo Petro of involvement in drug trafficking. The U.S. recently imposed sanctions on Petro, citing alleged illicit activities.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the carrier deployment aims to “disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade transnational criminal organizations.” Trump has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela and hinted that future operations could extend to land-based actions against cartels.

The deployment has drawn mixed reactions in the U.S. Some Republican lawmakers praised the move as protecting the Western Hemisphere, while legal experts and Democratic lawmakers questioned whether the strikes adhere to international law.