The scale of U.S. firepower now positioned in the Caribbean has raised a pressing question: what is all of it meant to achieve?
Under U.S. Southern Command, the United States has assembled its largest regional deployment since the 1989 Panama invasion—an estimated 15,000 personnel spread across Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and international waters near Venezuela.
Naval Presence
The roster of deployed vessels is extensive. It includes:
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USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, along with its full strike group
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USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group
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Arleigh Burke–class destroyers USS Jason Dunham and USS Gravely
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USS Stockdale
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Ticonderoga-class cruisers USS Lake Erie (CG-70) and USS Gettysburg
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USS Newport News, a nuclear-capable submarine
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USNS Waters (T-AGS-45), a submarine survey vessel
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MV Ocean Trader, a special-operations support ship
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“The Ghost,” a classified ocean-surveillance vessel used for intelligence gathering
Air Assets
Aircraft assigned to the region represent nearly every major combat and surveillance capability the U.S. possesses. They include:
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Roughly 90 aircraft aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, featuring F/A-18 Super Hornets and E-2D Hawkeyes
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Heavy bombers such as B-52H Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer
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P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol jets
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An AC-130J Ghostrider gunship
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MH-60 Seahawks, Black Hawks, and “Little Bird” light attack helicopters
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V-22 Ospreys and CH-53 Super Stallions for rapid transport
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An E-6 Mercury airborne command-and-control platform
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Dornier C-146A Wolfhound aircraft used by special operations forces
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Short takeoff/vertical-landing fighters such as AV-8B Harriers or F-35B
NEW: The Department of War conducted another strike on a drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean, killing all narco-terrorists on board, Secretary of War Hegseth says.
“To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland — if you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs.” pic.twitter.com/Di7zzwWupI
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 7, 2025
Troops and Ground Forces
Roughly 5,000 Marines and soldiers are stationed in Puerto Rico alone. Forces include:
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22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
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Elements of the 82nd Airborne Division
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Army Rangers and other special operations units
Intelligence Infrastructure
Ready for rapid response: U.S. Marines with the @22nd_MEU conduct training operations in Puerto Rico. U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the #SOUTHCOM mission, @DeptofWar-directed operations, and @POTUS‘ priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking… pic.twitter.com/cxClR61U3X
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) November 1, 2025
Intelligence agencies are also deeply embedded:
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The CIA is overseeing covert missions and has been granted authority for lethal operations inside Venezuela
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The NSA is integrating regional signals intelligence with airborne platforms like the P-8 and E-6
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The DIA is supplying satellite imagery and human-intelligence assessments
Briefings at the White House
Senior military leaders met with President Trump on Wednesday to present updated options for potential operations in Venezuela, including the possibility of land-based strikes, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.
Participants included Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, and other senior defense officials. Sources say no final decision has been made.
The U.S. intelligence community contributed extensively to the briefing materials. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was absent because she was returning from overseas, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio was attending a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Canada.