In its latest show of military strength in the Western Hemisphere, the Pentagon has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford to head to the Caribbean to support the Trump administration's ongoing counter-narcotics operation, which has been ramping up pressure on Venezuela.
Defense officials said the carrier, which can transport a crew of more than 4,500, will join about 10,000 U.S. troops, eight surface warships and a submarine already deployed in the region.
The move comes as American forces continue to target vessels allegedly linked to criminal organizations operating close to Venezuelan waters. Since early September, U.S. strikes have killed at least 43 people, including six in the most recent attack on Oct. 23.
The decision has been described as the strongest show of force yet in Washington's effort to dismantle transnational criminal networks and increase pressure on Nicolás Maduro's regime, which U.S. officials accuse of protecting drug traffickers and undermining democratic rule.
On Oct. 24, Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the Navy's largest, most advanced aircraft carrier to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, which encompasses all of South and Central America and all parts of the Caribbean south of Cuba, to help "dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland."
STATEMENT:
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) October 24, 2025
In support of the President’s directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism in defense of the Homeland, the Secretary of War has directed the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and embarked carrier air wing to the U.S.…
USS R Gerald Ford
The USS Gerald R. Ford is part of the Navy's newest class of aircraft carriers, the first new generation the service has commissioned in nearly 40 years.
According to the Navy's "Fact File," the Ford-class carrier can accommodate around 4,539 personnel, including the ship's crew, air wing, and staff. The vessel measures 1,092 feet long — just over the length of three full-sized football fields.
The ship is designed for a roughly 50-year service life with a single mid-life refueling. At the time of its construction, the Navy said the Ford was intended to be the "premier forward asset for crisis response and early decisive striking power in a major combat operation." Its carrier air wings are tasked with providing deterrence, sea control, power projection, maritime security, and humanitarian assistance.
Construction of the Ford was commissioned in 2017 during President Donald Trump's first term, and the ship recently completed a deployment in the Mediterranean.
Although Parnell did not specify when the carrier would arrive near Venezuelan waters, Reuters reported that the Ford was seen transiting the Strait of Gibraltar in recent days.
"The moment we've all been training for... USS Gerald R. Ford deploys. #USSGeraldRFord #IntegrityAtTheHelm #ForgedByTheSea
— USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) (@CVN78_GRFord) May 3, 2023
.#aircraft #carrier #aircraftcarrier #USNavy #navy #deployment #military #Atlantic #ship #ocean #Sailor #cvn78 @USFleetForces @US2ndFleet @flynavy @USNavy pic.twitter.com/1FLrofcrbg
Trump admin's campaign in South America
The Ford's deployment to the U.S. Southern Command area comes hours after a 10th airstrike against vessels allegedly involved in drug smuggling raised the death toll to at least 43, which officials have labeled "narco-terrorists."
U.S. officials describe the operation as a counter-narcotics campaign targeting drug trafficking networks, but the effort has drawn criticism and legal questions from organizations including The United Nations and Human Rights Watch.
Last week, a U.N. panel concluded that the U.S. strikes amounted to "extrajudicial executions," noting that even if allegations about the vessels carrying drugs were accurate, the use of lethal force violated international law.
"These moves are an extremely dangerous escalation with grave implications for peace and security in the Caribbean region," the experts said in a statement.
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