Berlin, Germany (Weltexpress). Is it about combating drugs or regime change in Venezuela? The large US warships deployed to the region are ill-suited to the alleged fight against drug terrorism, but all the more so for military sea-to-land operations.
The United States has established an unprecedented military presence in the southern Caribbean with questionable objectives. Officially, it serves Washington’s fight against South American drug cartels declared by the US to be terrorist organisations, for example against the Venezuelan ‘Tren de Aragua’ and the Mexican ‘Sinaloa Cartel’. With the deployment of seven heavily armed warships, a nuclear-powered submarine and over 4,500 soldiers and marines, the Trump administration is signalling a massive show of force in the region.
However, the composition of the classes of ships deployed – from guided missile destroyers to amphibious assault ships – points to more far-reaching strategic goals that could go far beyond the officially stated fight against ‘narco-terrorism’. In particular, these ships are specially suited for spatially limited landing operations, in which US Marines take control of a section of coastline against enemy resistance, supported from the sea with all available means, including artillery, missiles and combat helicopters stationed on the ships. The US Marines are a special force that is specially trained for such operations.
The ship classes deployed and their capabilities
The US Navy has an impressive fleet stationed in the Caribbean, consisting of ships whose capabilities are designed for long-range military operations. The ships deployed include:
1. ‘USS Lake Erie (CG-70)’ – Ticonderoga class, guided missile cruiser
The Ticonderoga class is a multi-functional warship equipped with the Aegis combat system, which enables air defence, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare. With Tomahawk cruise missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, the USS Lake Erie can carry out precision strikes against sea and land targets. Its recent deployment through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean completes the political and military threat posture established by Washington in the region, which, however, is hardly likely to intimidate drug traffickers. The same applies to the other US warships currently cruising in the region.
2.USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) – Wasp class, amphibious assault ship
The Wasp class is designed for amphibious warfare and can carry up to 1,894 marines, helicopters, tiltrotor aircraft and landing craft. With a crew of approximately 1,075 sailors, the USS Iwo Jima is part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which is currently operating off Puerto Rico. Its ability to quickly land marines makes it ideal for operations that require rapid power projection.
3. USS San Antonio (LPD-17) and USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) – San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks
The two San Antonio-class ships are used to transport marines, vehicles and equipment. These ships have advanced command and control systems and the ability to deploy landing craft and helicopters. Both ships are stationed in the Caribbean, support amphibious exercises with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and are designed for rapid deployment ashore.
4. USS Gravely (DDG-107), USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) and USS Sampson (DDG-102) – Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers
The three guided missile destroyers belong to the Arleigh Burke class, which forms the backbone of the US Navy. They are equipped with the Aegis anti-missile missile system, Tomahawk missiles for land targets and advanced radars. These destroyers are versatile and can be used for air defence, anti-submarine warfare and attacks on sea and land targets. Their presence in the Caribbean strengthens the US’s ability to monitor maritime threats and carry out precision strikes on land.
In addition, the nuclear-powered (Rapid Attack) fast attack submarine USS Newport News, designed for covert operations and reconnaissance, is active in the region. According to a report by The War Zone on 2 September 2025, these ships are conducting exercises off Puerto Rico, supported by reconnaissance aircraft such as the P-8 Poseidon. Admiral Daryl Caudle, Chief of Naval Operations, stated on 28 August 2025 that these ships were part of ‘Venezuelan operations and missions’ to combat drug trafficking, although specific targets remained secret.
Context of the operations
The official justification for this build-up is the fight against ‘drug terrorism,’ particularly against the ‘Tren de Aragua,’ which has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) since February 2025. The most recent incident, a deadly strike against a speedboat on 2 September 2025, in which – as claimed by Washington – eleven suspected gang members were killed, was defended by President Trump as a response to an ‘immediate threat’. At the same time, this strike has been condemned as a serious crime by quite a few maritime law experts, including US legal experts; see also articles on Just Security from 3 September 2025 and in the New York Times.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, in turn, invoked the president’s powers as commander-in-chief to decide on matters of life and death. Against the backdrop of the conflict with Venezuela, which Washington has once again instigated, Trump’s extrajudicial killing of the eleven boat occupants is being praised by US warmongers as a signal to Venezuela, demonstrating Trump’s determination to take action against the country allegedly ruled by drug cartels. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth recently even described Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as the ‘de facto leader of a narco-state’ and threatened Maduro that he should ‘have reason to be concerned’.
Meanwhile, Venezuela is preparing for armed combat. President Maduro issued a warning shortly after President Trump escalated the Pentagon’s military presence in the southern Caribbean. Last Friday, Maduro declared: ‘Should Venezuela be attacked in any way, it would enter a phase of planned and organised armed resistance by the entire population, whether local, regional or national, in defence of peace, territorial integrity, sovereignty and our people.’
Last Sunday, tens of thousands more soldiers were mobilised. At the same time, the military presence on the island of Nueva Esparta off the Venezuelan coast and in the states of Sucre and Delta Amacuro is to be expanded. Around 25,000 soldiers are to be deployed there, in addition to the 10,000 already stationed in the states of Zulia and Táchira, which border Colombia, according to Maduro.
In response, Trump warned that if Venezuelan F16 fighter jets continue to threaten US warships in regional waters, they will be shot down if they are deemed a danger to American ships.
Strategic implications
Against the backdrop of this political and military escalation by the US against Venezuela, the composition of the US fleet in the Caribbean should no longer raise any questions. The Wasp and San Antonio classes are specifically designed for amphibious landings and operations from sea to land. The capabilities of the Ticonderoga and Arleigh Burke classes to hit precise land targets suggest a strategic focus. The USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale can quickly bring troops and equipment ashore, indicating preparations for a larger operation. The guided missile destroyers and cruiser also provide fire support and air defence, which is suitable for a confrontation with a state actor such as Venezuela.
Of course, the military capabilities of the current US Caribbean fleet are not sufficient to conquer Venezuela, but they could be enough to destabilise the country politically once again. For example, the Americans could capture a strategically located island or stretch of coastline and establish a counter-government to Maduro there. With appropriate financial promises and covert aid, this could breathe new life into the US puppets in the Venezuelan opposition, enough to cause unrest.
A cynical pretext?
How convenient for the US warmongers that the ‘war on drugs’ in the Caribbean suddenly requires an entire fleet of warships with enough firepower to raze entire cities to the ground! It is laughable how Trump and Co. are militarising the Caribbean under this pretext, claiming they need guided missile cruisers and destroyers as well as amphibious assault ships to hunt down speedboats carrying drugs. This is an arsenal for a tailor-made operation from sea to land, with the aim of regime change in Venezuela. The alleged fight against drug terrorism is a cynical pretext for re-establishing US dominance throughout the region through geopolitical muscle-flexing.
