The United States’ top military officer, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine, traveled to Puerto Rico on Monday. This US military adviser visits Caribbean to oversee ongoing operations and boost troop morale.

Caine met service members stationed on Puerto Rico and aboard a Navy warship. His office said the trip aimed to engage troops and thank them for outstanding support.

This marks Caine’s second trip since Pentagon operations expanded in the Caribbean, including the deployment of the Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s newest, largest aircraft carrier in decades.

During his first trip, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Marines deployed in the region were “on the front lines of defending the American homeland,” emphasizing operational importance.

The Pentagon’s buildup coincides with Trump’s consideration of additional measures against Venezuela, including options for strikes against vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking, which have killed at least 83 people.

No evidence has been publicly presented confirming drugs were aboard the targeted boats. Legal experts warn that even proven trafficking would not justify lethal strikes under international law.

Trump stated on Monday that he plans to speak directly with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on an unspecified date, while roughly 15,000 US personnel are now deployed regionally.

Of these troops, about 5,000 are stationed in Puerto Rico, alongside Marines aboard amphibious ships, highlighting a combined maritime and land-based approach to deter crime and narcotics activity.

The US has intensified joint drills with Trinidad and Tobago, conducting a second round of exercises within a month aimed at curbing violent crime and drug trafficking in the region.

Caine is expected to visit Trinidad and Tobago to meet Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, signaling coordination with regional governments while demonstrating US commitment to security and counter-narcotics operations.

The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group includes the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Winston S. Churchill, USS Mahan, and USS Bainbridge, sailing under F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and B-52 patrols.

The carrier strike group is complemented by a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress, showcasing a combined air-sea presence that strengthens Washington’s deterrence posture in the Caribbean and Atlantic approaches.

Pressure on Caracas has increased with the US designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, a move Maduro’s government denounces as politically motivated.

Though not a conventional cartel, the US alleges the network traffics narcotics into America, claiming Maduro and senior officials are involved, despite providing no publicly available proof of involvement.

Venezuela condemned the designation as “ridiculous,” insisting the group is largely fictional and created to justify intervention and pressure over the country’s rich oil, gas, and mineral resources.

The FTO designation follows earlier measures targeting eight Latin American criminal organizations linked to drugs and migrant smuggling, asserting coordination between Cartel de los Soles and Tren de Aragua.

Officials rarely identify which groups were behind the US-targeted maritime strikes, and Hegseth indicated that the new FTO label opens options while clarifying nothing is automatically on the table.

Legal experts warn that the FTO statute does not authorize military action, highlighting the tension between Washington’s anti-drug operations and international legal constraints surrounding sovereignty and lethal force.

Maduro’s government argues US actions are aimed at regime change. Oil Minister Delcy Rodriguez accused Washington of seeking Venezuela’s oil, gold, diamonds, iron, and bauxite “without paying,” targeting national resources.

Foreign Minister Yvan Gil described the US designation as a “vile lie,” claiming the narrative is designed to legitimize an illegitimate, illegal intervention while ignoring Venezuelan sovereignty.

InSight Crime, analyzing organized crime in the region, calls the cartel narrative an oversimplification, describing it as a system of corruption where officials profit from illicit networks’ operations.

Domestically, the US campaign has provoked debate. A Reuters poll suggested only 29 percent of Americans support killing suspected traffickers without judicial oversight, reflecting public concern over legality and oversight.

A former senior Treasury official stressed that FTO designations were never intended to justify military strikes, emphasizing that such labels are primarily for law enforcement and sanctions, not combat operations.

Trump’s ongoing Caribbean operations coincide with increased naval presence, troop deployments, and joint exercises, underscoring Washington’s willingness to escalate pressure on Venezuela while maintaining strategic ambiguity about direct confrontation.

Caine’s engagements with troops and regional leaders highlight the dual purpose of US military presence: deterrence against crime and reinforcement of partnerships with Caribbean nations in counter-narcotics missions.

Observers note that maritime strikes, troop deployments, and high-profile visits by US military advisers serve both operational and symbolic roles, demonstrating American commitment to influence regional security dynamics.

Despite intense pressure, Maduro continues diplomatic resistance, framing US actions as attempts to seize natural resources while rallying domestic support against perceived foreign intervention.

The US Navy’s continued carrier and air operations in the Caribbean, coupled with FTO designations, exemplify a strategic mix of deterrence, diplomacy, and kinetic options, keeping Venezuelan leadership under constant pressure.

As Caine concludes his Caribbean tour, analysts expect continued engagement with regional governments, combined exercises, and potential expansion of anti-drug operations, highlighting the evolving role of US military advisers overseas.