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The United States is deploying three Aegis guided-missile destroyers—USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson—to waters off Venezuela. This move is part of President Donald Trump’s effort to combat Latin American drug cartels. According to a U.S. official briefed on the planning, these ships are expected to arrive in the region soon.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed this deployment during Tuesday’s press briefing, stating that “The president is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government—it is a narco terror cartel.”
USS Sampson, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was photographed preparing for this mission.
The Defense Department confirmed that these U.S. Navy ships were assigned to support counternarcotics operations and would be deployed “over the course of several months.”
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This deployment underscores Trump’s push to use military power against cartels blamed for driving fentanyl and other illicit drugs into American communities, as well as for fueling violence in U.S. cities.
In February, Trump designated Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, El Salvador’s MS-13, and six Mexican-based groups as foreign terrorist organizations. His administration has also intensified immigration enforcement against alleged gang members.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro responded by mobilizing more than 4.5 million militia members nationwide in defense against perceived U.S. threats. He stated that “The empire has gone mad and has renewed its threats to Venezuela’s peace and tranquility.”
Trump’s government doubled the reward for Maduro’s arrest, from $25 million to $50 million, accusing him of acting as a major narco-trafficker and colluding with cartels to send fentanyl-laced cocaine into the U.S.
In 2020, during Trump’s first term, Maduro was indicted in New York federal court on charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. At that time, the U.S. offered a $15 million reward for his capture.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
