Hegseth Visits USS Gerald Ford in the Caribbean as Trump Expands Anti-Drug Offensive
During his tour of the Navy flagship, the defense secretary thanked the Marines for their service and sent a Thanksgiving message.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday visited personnel deployed on the ship USS Gerald Ford, currently anchored in the Caribbean as part of the largest regional military operation in decades. The Pentagon chief's tour comes as part of the intensified anti-drug offensive ordered by President Donald Trump, which seeks to intercept drug trafficking routes and increase pressure on the Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela.
During his tour of the Navy flagship, Hegseth thanked the Marines for their service and sent a message for Thanksgiving Day, stressing that the deployment has a clear objective: to protect U.S. citizens and curb violence linked to criminal organizations. The Pentagon released images of the secretary greeting crew members and commanders.
An unprecedented deployment in the Caribbean
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Dominican Republic joins regional effort
As part of the expansion of Lanza del Sur, Hegseth traveled to Dominican Republic, where he held a meeting with President Luis Abinader. After the meeting, both announced that the United States will temporarily use two Dominican airports - Las Americas International and the San Isidro air base - for the logistical support of personnel and equipment related to the anti-drug operation.
Abinader stressed that the fight against drug trafficking is a priority because of its impact on regional stability and emphasized that no country can face the threat alone. Hegseth thanked the Dominican government for its willingness to cooperate and affirmed that the decision reinforces the Dominican Republic as a key ally in the region.
A strategy that aims to expand its reach
The use of strategic infrastructure in allied countries, added to the U.S. naval and air deployment, marks a new chapter in Washington's offensive against transnational criminal networks and against the influence of the Venezuelan regime.
U.S. officials have advanced that the operation will continue to expand and that regional cooperation - including close coordination with Caribbean governments - will be critical to the success of the anti-drug strategy.
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