The U.S. is significantly reducing its presence in the Caribbean by sending the USS Gerald Ford, the country's largest aircraft carrier, to the Middle East along with its strike group.
The ships are set to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region overseen by the Central Command. They are leaving after about three months, during which U.S. forces executed a raid that captured Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro. Forces have also conducted dozens of strikes against alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
Trump had already said he was considering the move, as he increases pressure on Iran during negotiations about its nuclear and ballistic missiles programs. "We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going," Trump told Axios' Barak Ravid on Tuesday.
Trump, however, has said that Tehran "wants to make a deal very badly" and is engaging in a serious manner. "Last time they didn't believe I would do it," Trump said in reference to the attack against the country's nuclear facilities in June. He said back then "they overplayed their hand" but this time things are "very different."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Trump on Wednesday to discuss the matter. The BBC reported that Trump insisted that talks with Tehran must continue and reiterated that he will take action if he doesn't consider them to be successful. The outlet added that Iran has suggested it is ready to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, but has remained intransigent on other demands.
Netanyahu's office said the two discussed "the security needs of the State of Israel in the context of the negotiations" and agreed to continue their "close coordination and relationship".
"The prime minister believes that any negotiations must include limiting ballistic missiles and ending support for the Iranian axis," the office had said before the trip.
Originally published on Latin Times
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