US Sends 4,000 Marines to Caribbean in Expanded Anti-Cartel Push

The Pentagon is sending more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to waters around Latin America and the Caribbean, expanding President Donald Trump’s effort to pressure drug cartels operating in the region, according to two U.S. defense officials cited by CNN. The deployment centers on the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which together constitute a mobile force capable of launching air and sea operations. A nuclear-powered attack submarine, P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, several destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser are also being reassigned to U.S. Southern Command after a three-week repositioning of assets. Officials said the buildup is primarily intended as a show of force but gives commanders—and the president—a broader menu of military options should he order strikes against cartels that Washington has labeled narco-terrorist organizations such as Mexico’s Sinaloa group and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua. Some defense personnel have voiced concern that Marine units are not trained for drug-interdiction missions and would need to rely heavily on the U.S. Coast Guard. The move follows a memorandum signed earlier this year by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that set homeland defense as the Pentagon’s top priority, calling for actions to seal U.S. borders, curb narcotics trafficking and ensure continued access to the Panama Canal. The new assets are expected to remain under SOUTHCOM’s command for at least several months.