US Deploys USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier to Caribbean Escalating Drug War Efforts

The Trump administration has escalated its military campaign against drug trafficking by deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and its strike group to the Caribbean and waters off South America. This deployment aims to enhance U.S. capabilities to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit drug trafficking operations, including targeting boats linked to violent gangs such as Venezuela's Tren de Aragua. The carrier strike group, equipped with stealth fighter jets and surveillance aircraft, signals a broader military strategy that could extend to strikes on land-based drug cartel targets. Defense officials have emphasized a hardline stance against "narco-terrorists," equating drug traffickers with terrorist organizations and vowing relentless pursuit. The campaign has already resulted in the destruction of multiple vessels and the deaths of over 40 individuals involved in narcotics trafficking. Meanwhile, Venezuela has condemned the U.S. military presence as aggression aimed at destabilizing its government.