Overview
- An unusually large U.S. force now in the Caribbean includes eight Navy warships with three amphibious assault ships carrying Marines and a cruise‑missile‑capable submarine identified as USS Newport News.
- Air power has surged with Marine F‑35Bs forward‑based in Puerto Rico alongside MQ‑9 Reaper drones and an AC‑130J, and B‑52 bombers conducted a recent “bomber attack” demonstration near Venezuela.
- War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a counter‑narcotics Joint Task Force to coordinate air, maritime and special‑operations missions across the region.
- U.S. officials link the posture to recent interdictions, citing seven strikes on suspected drug‑running boats, as Puerto Rico serves as a reactivated logistics and surveillance hub centered on Roosevelt Roads.
- Open‑source and media reporting describe thousands of U.S. personnel in theater, with analysts calling the buildup a pressure campaign rather than preparation for a full‑scale invasion, and President Trump saying he authorized CIA operations in Venezuela.