The United States has quietly assembled a substantial military force in the Caribbean that could be used to strike Cuba at short notice, according to reports first cited by Politico. The buil
The United States has quietly assembled a substantial military force in the Caribbean that could be used to strike Cuba at short notice, according to reports first cited by Politico. The buildup represents one of the most significant concentrations of American naval power near the island in decades, and it comes as the Trump administration has hardened its rhetoric toward Havana.
At the center of the deployment is the USS Nimitz carrier strike group. Navy Times confirmed that the Nimitz and its strike group, including the guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley and Carrier Air Wing 17, are now operating in the Caribbean under US Southern Command. The New York Times, citing an American official, reported that the Nimitz is expected to remain in the area for several days as part of a show of force.
The Nimitz does not arrive alone. According to Stars and Stripes, the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and its embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit continue to operate in the region, alongside the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie and the littoral combat ship USS Billings. The Nimitz's entry into the Caribbean was also timed to coincide with the Justice Department's indictment of several Cuban officials, including former Cuban President Raul Castro, a sequence that Stars and Stripes noted "hardly seemed coincidental."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called Cuba a national security threat located just 90 miles from US shores, and President Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of military action against the island. According to Military(.)com, analysts warn that if ongoing diplomatic talks collapse, the Trump administration could resort to some form of military force, though a full-scale occupation is considered unlikely. More limited options, including targeted strikes, remain on the table.
The broader pressure campaign has included ramped-up intelligence-gathering flights near Cuba. The US Navy and Air Force have reportedly conducted reconnaissance sorties near the island at least 25 times since early February, according to CNN as cited by Navy Times. CIA Director John Ratcliffe also traveled to Cuba in mid-May, reportedly warning officials that Washington's window for diplomacy would not remain open indefinitely.
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel has publicly acknowledged the threat, calling the current moment "absolutely challenging" and urging the country to prepare to defend itself, according to Military(.)com.
Sources:Navy Times: USS Nimitz arrives in Caribbean as US-Cuba tension mountsStars and Stripes: USS Nimitz presence in Caribbean increases speculation about CubaMilitary(.)com: Cuba Warns US Attack Possible as Pentagon Stays Mum
