Overview
- U.S. officials say the prepare-to-deploy instruction stops short of a formal deployment order, which remains pending.
- The USS George H.W. Bush is the leading candidate and could accelerate training off Virginia to depart within about two weeks, according to multiple reports.
- The additional carrier would join the USS Abraham Lincoln already in the region, marking the first two-carrier posture there since March 2025 if executed.
- Officials indicated an order could come within hours, and defense reporting suggests a likely on-station timeline around mid-March given transit requirements.
- The White House and Navy declined to confirm specific movements, as President Trump met Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and insisted negotiations continue even as military options remain available.