The USS Gerald R.
Ford has been redirected from the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East as President Donald Trump considers potential military action against Iran, a U.S. official confirmed.
According to Fox News, the move will place two U.S. aircraft carriers and their escort vessels in the region at a moment of heightened tension with Tehran. The USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers have already been operating in the area for more than two weeks, underscoring the administrations willingness to project strength rather than rely on diplomatic assurances alone.
The USS Ford, which began its deployment in June 2025, had previously been shifted from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean last fall. That redeployment came as the administration built up a substantial military posture ahead of the operation to strike Venezuela and capture its President, Nicols Maduro.
Trump cautioned Iran that failing to reach an agreement with Washington over its nuclear ambitions would be very traumatic following indirect talks between the two nations in Oman last week. It should happen quickly. They should agree very quickly, he told reporters, signaling that patience in Washington is limited and that deterrence, not concession, remains the guiding principle.
Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and said he made clear to the Israeli leader that negotiations with Iran must continue. Netanyahu is urging the Trump administration to demand that Tehran roll back its ballistic missile program and halt support for terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah as conditions for any accord, a stance consistent with a tougher, security-first approach long favored by conservatives.
With two carrier strike groups now positioned near Iran, the administration is pairing diplomacy with unmistakable military leverage while allies like Israel press for a comprehensive rollback of Tehrans destabilizing activities. Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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