Hegseth Visits USS Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carrier in Latin America Region

The U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, including the flagship USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Winston S. Churchill, USS Mahan and USS Bainbridge, sail towards the Caribbean Sea under F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress, in the Atlantic Ocean, on Nov. 13, 2025. U.S. Navy/Petty Officer 3rd Class Gladjimi Balisage/Handout via ReutersWASHINGTON—Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors on the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier stationed in the Latin American region on Thursday, as President Donald Trump’s administration undertakes a military buildup that has deepened tensions with Venezuela.The Pentagon posted a video showing Hegseth speaking into a public address system, wishing all those aboard a happy Thanksgiving and saying he was praying for the two National Guard soldiers who were shot in Washington on Wednesday.