U.S. Orders USS Gerald R. Ford to Gulf as Trump Confirms Second Carrier Deployment

Overview

• President Donald Trump said a second U.S. aircraft carrier will depart for the Middle East "very soon," confirming reports the USS Gerald R. Ford is being redirected.
• Media reports say the Ford is leaving the Caribbean to link up with the USS Abraham Lincoln’s strike group in the Persian Gulf, though the Pentagon offered no immediate public comment.
• Two U.S. officials told Reuters the military is preparing for operations against Iran that could last weeks if ordered, signaling planning beyond a one-off strike.
• The Ford’s arrival window is estimated by U.S. media for late April to early May, extending a visible U.S. naval presence as negotiations remain unsettled.
• The carrier had recently supported operations related to Nicolás Maduro’s capture on January 3, marking a rapid shift in U.S. naval focus toward the Gulf.