U.S. aircraft carrier strike group ordered to Caribbean in support of war on narco-terrorists

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed a strike group of aircraft carriers to take a position in the Caribbean to support President Donald Trump’s counter narco-terrorism operation.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced the deployment in a tweet.

STATEMENT:

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.…

— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) October 24, 2025

He wrote that the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and its “embarked carrier air wing” will hereby be under the responsibility of U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM).

He added that the increased military presence in the Caribbean will “bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere.”

NBC News notes that the Gerald. R. Ford “is the U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier and is currently stationed in the Mediterranean with three destroyers.”

“They have not left that region, but once they do, the transit will take about one week to get on station in the Caribbean,” according to the network.

The deployment of the aircraft carrier strike group will mark a significant escalation in Trump’s war against the southern cartels, reportedly doubling the number of U.S. craft involved in the opereation.

“The U.S. has eight surface ships there now, plus a nuclear-powered submarine, which adds up to about 6,000 sailors and marines in the region,” NBC News notes. “The Ford Carrier Strike Group will add between 4,500 and 5,000 more sailors and marines to the mission.”

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced that the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and her Carrier Strike Group, consisting of the Arleigh Burke-Class Guided-Missile Destroyers; USS Mahan (DDG-72), USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), and USS Bainbridge (DDG-96), have been… pic.twitter.com/qaXs5l8JVb

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 24, 2025

Parnell’s announcement came hours after War Secretary Hegseth revealed that the military had just once more struck a drug boat in the Caribbean — this time the third, reportedly.

“The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics,” he revealed in an X post.

“Six male narco-terrorists were aboard the vessel during the strike, which was conducted in international waters—and was the first strike at night. All six terrorists were killed and no U.S. forces were harmed in this strike,” he added.

According to him, the boat belonged to Tren de Aragua.

Overnight, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean Sea.

The vessel was known by our… pic.twitter.com/lVlw0FLBv4

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 24, 2025

Earlier in the week, Secretary Hegseth announced a lethal strike against a group of boats carrying drugs to America’s Pacific Coast. He also vowed to continue destroying boats until the job is finished.

“These strikes will continue, day after day,” he wrote. “These are not simply drug runners — these are narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities. These [drug trafficking organizations] are the ‘Al Qaeda’ of our hemisphere and will not escape justice.”

“We will find them and kill them, until the threat to the American people is extinguished,” he added.

Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out yet another lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO). Yet again, the now-deceased terrorists were engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific.

The… pic.twitter.com/PEaKmakivD

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 23, 2025

President Trump has defended these strikes on the grounds that America is currently in an “armed conflict” with the cartels.

“The President determined these cartels are non-state armed groups, designated them as terrorist organizations, and determined that their actions constitute an armed attack against the United States,” the administration told Congress in a notice near the start of the month.

“In response, based upon the cumulative effects of these hostile acts against the citizens and interests of United States and friendly foreign nations, the President determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations,” the notice continued.

Senior Staff Writer
[email protected]

V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.

Latest posts by Vivek Saxena (see all)

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.