The U.S. military has significantly increased its presence in the Caribbean since late August, deploying approximately 10,000 troops, along with numerous aircraft and ships, both at sea and on land. This represents the largest deployment in the region in decades, officially framed by the Trump administration as a mission to combat drugs and terrorism. The United States has even launched lethal strikes on vessels reportedly carrying narcotics, with President Trump and other officials sharing videos of these operations.
Much of this military activity is publicly discernible through commercial and scientific satellite imagery, as well as photographs shared by local residents. These observations are further supported by the military’s own public announcements regarding its Caribbean operations.
An interactive map illustrates the widespread U.S. military presence across the Caribbean, detailing the locations of various naval vessels, drones, and surveillance aircraft, including their positions near Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela, with dates of observation.
Privately, however, officials have indicated that the primary objective behind this troop surge—which President Trump also suggested could involve covert C.I.A. operations—is to destabilize and ultimately remove Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, from power. Roughly half of the U.S. forces are stationed on eight Navy warships, including 2,200 Marines equipped with fighter jets. The other half is primarily located at former U.S. bases in Puerto Rico, now civilian airports, housing Marine Corps F-35 fighter jets, Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones, and various other surveillance and support aircraft.
An Increased Display of Military Force
Recent days have witnessed a dramatic showcase of U.S. aerial power in the region. On one occasion, at least two B-52 bombers from Louisiana conducted several hours of flights off the Venezuelan coast. A senior U.S. official described this as a clear “show of force.” While operating in international airspace, these bombers traversed an air traffic control region managed by Venezuela. B-52s are capable of carrying a substantial arsenal of precision-guided bombs.
An interactive graphic shows the flight path of a U.S. B-52 bomber on October 15th, indicating its proximity to Venezuelan airspace.
Furthermore, an elite Army Special Operations unit has been carrying out helicopter flights over the waters between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. Residents in southern Trinidad and Tobago, just a dozen miles from the Venezuelan coast, have shared videos, revealing U.S. Navy surveillance planes conducting flights overhead.
A video captures a U.S. Navy P-8A surveillance plane flying over Trinidad.
The New York Times also identified the M.V. Ocean Trader, a specialized vessel that serves as a Special Operations headquarters and is primarily used in stealth missions. Satellite imagery located this ship approximately 85 miles northeast of Venezuela. An image shows the M.V. Ocean Trader, a Special Operations ship, in the U.S. Virgin Islands on September 27th. Another image shows it 85 miles northeast of Venezuela on Thursday.
Additionally, two large Navy replenishment vessels, essential for delivering fuel and supplies to warships, were observed in Puerto Rico on Sunday. While U.S. military officials maintain that these air and naval operations are currently training missions—and not direct rehearsals for strikes on Venezuela—this significant military presence undeniably escalates pressure on Mr. Maduro and provides President Trump with various strategic options.
How the U.S. Is Positioning Itself
While naval activities have been highly visible, the Pentagon has also discreetly deployed several thousand flight crews, maintenance specialists, security forces, and other support personnel to regional bases. Puerto Rico serves as the primary hub for U.S. military operations in the Caribbean. Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla has been transformed into a center for armed drone flights, with satellite imagery from last month showing the construction of a new bunker for storing drone ammunition.
Close to this ammunition bunker, imagery also captured an MQ-9 Reaper drone, a versatile asset capable of both reconnaissance and targeted strikes. An image confirms newly constructed ammunition storage at Rafael Hernández Airport this month. Another image shows an MQ-9 Reaper drone at Rafael Hernández Airport this month.
On the opposite side of the island, near Ceiba, Puerto Rico, over a dozen military aircraft are based at an airport that was part of the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, which the military closed in 2004. These include Marine Corps F-35 stealth fighter jets, helicopters, and at least one Air Force AC-130 gunship, all actively flying missions. An image displays some of the F-35 fighter jets at the airport near Ceiba, Puerto Rico, on Friday. Another image shows an apparent AC-130 gunship near the fighter jets in Puerto Rico on Friday.
In the U.S. Virgin Islands, specifically at a small airport on St. Croix, three Air Force refueling aircraft are stationed alongside a newly installed radar system. Perched on a hill overlooking the Caribbean, this radar, as captured in a photograph by a resident, is crucial for monitoring airspace and tracking aircraft. An interactive graphic details this search radar system. This comprehensive positioning underscores a determined and multifaceted U.S. military posture in the Caribbean.