More than 10 U.S. warships, including the nation’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, are now stationed in the Caribbean amid rising tensions between President Donald Trump and Venezuela.
A Marine Expeditionary Unit capable of launching amphibious land operations has also been deployed, part of broader efforts to curb the flow of drugs from Venezuela into the United States.
The military’s job is to defend the homeland, said Navy Secretary John Phelan in an interview with Fox News. “That’s exactly what we’re doing, using our best assets to protect the country. Drugs kill more Americans than we’ve ever lost in wars. The president has correctly identified this as an attack on the country, which it is.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is being blamed for allowing drug-laden vessels to depart for the U.S.
Among the 11 warships in the Caribbean is the USS Gerald R. Ford, which houses a Carrier Strike Group with nine carrier air wings and more than 70 aircraft, including squadrons from Virginia, Florida, and Washington State. Other deployed ships include the USS Iwo Jima, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship capable of carrying up to six Harrier II attack aircraft.
Up to 2,200 Marines from Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina are also stationed in the region. In total, around 15,000 U.S. troops are now deployed, including about 5,000 personnel at bases in Puerto Rico, according to The Conversation. Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico has been reopened as part of the military buildup.
Phelan also highlighted the administration’s focus on shipbuilding and domestic manufacturing during his appearance on My View with Lara Trump:
The president is very focused on shipbuilding. He’s been on me about it for a long time and continues to stay after me, which is great because he’s committed to it. It’s really important, he said.
We hollowed out our manufacturing base in this country. We spent the last 10 years teaching people how to code. We’re going to spend the next 10 years teaching people to use their hands, because those are going to be the important skills.
