The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) departs Naval Station Norfolk for a regularly scheduled deployment. It is part of the group deployed to the Southern Command alongside the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. Photo: U.S. Navy.
Guacamaya, August 15, 2025. The U.S. military is deploying an additional 4,500 troops to the Southern Command region, which includes Latin America and the Caribbean (excluding Mexico and Puerto Rico).
According to CNN, the deployment is part of efforts ordered by President Donald Trump to combat Latin American drug cartels, which he has designated as “global terrorist organizations.”
The news comes a day after reports emerged of a secret order from Trump to send forces to the southern Caribbean Sea for the same reason.
The forces involved include the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
According to CNN, one of the officials consulted emphasized that, for now, the troop increase is primarily a show of force aimed more at sending a message than signaling an intent to carry out precision strikes against cartels.
However, it also provides U.S. command with a wide range of options if Trump orders military action. The ARG/MEU group, for example, also includes an air combat component.
MEUs have played key roles in the past by supporting large-scale evacuation operations. For instance, one MEU was stationed for months in the eastern Mediterranean amid tensions between Israel, Hamas, and Iran.
In this region, the Trump administration is likely targeting objectives related to Venezuela. While it has designated major Mexican cartels and the MS13 gang as terrorist organizations, it has also done the same with the Tren de Aragua and the alleged Cartel of the Suns. It has not given the same attention to criminal organizations in other countries with significant drug production and trafficking, such as Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
