Name: USS Gerald R. Ford enters Caribbean amid rising Venezuela tensions
Uploaded: 2025-11-17T00:56:59.488Z
Duration: 2 min 37 s
Description: The largest, most advanced aircraft carrier in the nation, along with three guided missile destroyers, crossed into the Caribbean Sea on Sunday morning, the U.S. Navy said, adding to a buildup of U.S. military assets near Venezuela.

The largest, most advanced aircraft carrier in the nation, along with three guided missile destroyers, crossed into the Caribbean Sea on Sunday morning, the U.S. Navy said, adding to a buildup of U.S. military assets near Venezuela.

San Juan

The USS Gerald R. Ford, accompanied by three guided missile destroyers, has entered the Caribbean Sea, marking the largest U.S. military buildup in the region in decades. The Trump administration describes the deployment as part of Operation Southern Spear, a counter-drug initiative, though the proximity to Venezuela and the scale of military hardware have prompted unease among some local residents.

The Ford is equipped with dozens of F-18 fighter jets and advanced radar-jamming technology, and its presence adds to other U.S. military assets already patrolling the area. A naval station in Puerto Rico has also been reactivated and now hosts F-35 stealth fighter jets, further increasing U.S. capabilities in the region.

USS Gerald R. Ford enters Caribbean amid rising Venezuela tensions

Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining us on this Sunday. We begin with a powerful display of American military might, and what the Trump administration insists is a counter-drug operation. Today, the world's biggest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, arrived in the Caribbean Sea. It is now also in striking distance of Venezuela. Today, new video of the latest U.S. attack on a small boat suspected of transporting drugs. So far, at least 80 people have been killed. CBS's Charlie D'Agata in San Juan, Puerto Rico leads us off tonight. So U.S. officials tell us that the Ford aircraft carrier crossed into the Caribbean this morning along with three guided missile destroyers, part of its strike group, just adding to this massive U.S. military buildup not seen here in decades. The largest and most advanced warship in the world is now in America's most active battle zone. On board, four dozen F-18 fighter jets, along with technology to jam radars on potential bombing runs. In St. Croix, we saw firsthand how the Ford's presence is adding to a buildup of military assets already on patrol in the Caribbean. The USS Lake Erie is a guided missile cruiser. It pulled up to dock here in St. Croix a few days ago to resupply and get the sailors on board some much-needed R&R. While some of the island's residents welcomed visiting sailors and Marines, John and Heidi Driscoll told us the ship's arrival left them feeling unsettled. Our local businesses can use everything they can, but it still worries me. Why does it worry you? I don't know what's going on. The fact that they're here, they're so close to Venezuela, it just, it makes me very nervous. And when you speak to them, they don't know what's going on. As the US military buildup gathers pace. Peace, peace, peace. Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, used music to try and ease tensions. ♪ Reminding us people ♪ Back in Puerto Rico, we found a naval station that was shut down in 2004, now fully operational with F-35 stealth fighter jets. So the Trump administration says this is still a drug interdiction operation. They're calling it Operation Southern Spear, but with all this US military hardware in the region, there are plenty of options to widen that operation.

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