According to a Fox News report, the Trump administration has ordered the powerful Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group into the Western Hemisphere, stepping up the fight against drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean.
The massive deployment signals a clear message: America’s war on narcotics just went naval.
“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. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR),” chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement Friday.
“The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR 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,” he added. “These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs.”
War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Thursday that a recent strike on a vessel allegedly operated by members of Tren de Aragua (TdA) — a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) — killed six suspected narco-terrorists.
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 intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. 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.
If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda. Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you.
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
This week, President Trump confirmed his administration’s aim is to “kill people that are bringing drugs into our country.”
Watch the clip below:
REPORTER: “Mr. President, if you are declaring war against these cartels and Congress is likely to approve of that process, why not just ask for a declaration of war?”
PRESIDENT TRUMP: “Well, I don't think we're going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war. I think we're… pic.twitter.com/edyoDV9eg7
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 23, 2025
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