(The Hill) – In a strategic move, the Pentagon is deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, along with its carrier air wing, to the Caribbean. This decision aligns with the Trump administration’s efforts to target vessels believed to be involved in smuggling illegal drugs within the region.

On Friday, Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has redirected the Navy’s cutting-edge aircraft carrier from its previous station in the Mediterranean to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Southern Command. This repositioning aims to “dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and combat narco-terrorism, ultimately safeguarding the Homeland.”