By: Staff Writer
August 19, 2025
The United States will be deploying air and naval forces to Latin America in in what the Trump administration says is an attempt to combat drug trafficking, reports indicate.
The Caribbean, and specifically the southern Caribbean, has been a key route for illicit shipments bound for the U.S. and Europe. The decision to deploy troops marks a significant display of American force in the region, and underscores the Trump Administration’s growing concern over transnational drug trafficking and its threat to U.S. national security.
The move comes after President Trump signed a secret directive authorizing the use of military force to carry out operations in Latin America under the guise of targeting drug cartels.
Reporting from CNN revealed that the U.S. military is deploying more than 4,000 marines and sailors to waters in the region.
According to Reuters, one U.S. official speaking anonymously, stated that military assets deployed to the Caribbean region would include P-8 spy planes, at least one warship and one attack submarine.
Additionally, the official said the plans would develop over several months and assets would utilise international airspace and international waters.
There will also be the deployment of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit to US Southern Command, which has not been previously reported, is part of a broader repositioning of military assets to the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility that has been underway over the last three weeks, one of the officials said.
A nuclear-powered attack submarine, additional P8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, several destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser are also being allocated to US Southern Command as part of the mission, the officials said.
The deployment of the Marine Expeditionary Unit, however, has raised concerns among some defense officials who worry that the Marines are not trained to conduct drug interdictions and counter drug-trafficking. If that is part of their mission set, they will have to lean heavily on the Coast Guard, officials said.
In February, Trump designated drug groups such as Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, and Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua as global terrorist organizations. Shortly after, the U.S. military increased airborne surveillance on Mexican drug cartels to determine how to best counter their activities.
Earlier this month, Trump secretly signed a directive to the Pentagon, instructing the leveraging of military force against these newly-designated global terrorist organizations, as per the New York Times.
Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, has also just recently labelled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as a “narco terrorist.”