Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine made a surprise trip to Puerto Rico on Monday, amid the Trump administration’s push to counter drug cartels in Latin America and the Caribbean Sea via the U.S. military.
The visit — announced by Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón (R) in a social media post — comes after President Trump last week claimed a military strike on a boat in the Caribbean killed 11 drug smugglers. Trump has asserted the vessel was carrying narcotics from Venezuela and headed to the United States. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has denied these accusations.
The U.S. also in recent weeks has moved forces and lethal assets into the Caribbean, including at least eight warships, an attack submarine, and more than 4,000 sailors and Marines. In addition, 10 F-35s were sent to the island late last week and are reportedly meant to conduct operations against designated narco-terrorist organizations.
The Pentagon did not announce Hegseth and Caine’s trip ahead of it happening and did not respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
Reuters first reported the Pentagon is considering plans to use Puerto Rico in its operations against cartels in the region, including possibly conducting military flights out of the U.S. territory.
In her post to the social platform X, González-Colón hinted at the plans by thanking Trump “for recognizing the strategic value Puerto Rico has to the national security of the United States and the fight against drug cartels in our hemisphere, perpetuated by narco-dictator Nicolas Maduro.”
“We are proud to support America First policies that secure our borders and combat illicit activities to protect Americans and our homeland,” she added.
Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela continue to soar after the administration’s purported strike on the vessel carrying an unknown amount of drugs. U.S. officials have not given any evidence of who and what was on the boat at the time of the attack.
Hegseth, Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have said further strikes against drug cartels in Latin America are possible, with Vance on Saturday posting to X that “killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.”
On Thursday, the Pentagon accused Venezuela of a “highly provocative” flight when the country flew its fighter jets near a U.S. Navy warship.
Democrats and other critics of the administration, meanwhile, are questioning the legality of the boat strike. Some members of Congress are set to receive a briefing on the attack Tuesday.
The U.S. last had a significant military buildup in Puerto Rico in 2017 to help with the aftermath of hurricanes Maria and Irma. At that time, roughly 14,000 U.S. troops were deployed to the island.
