U.S. Military Engages Caribbean Leaders Amid Regional Buildup

Top U.S. military leaders are engaging with Caribbean counterparts this week amid a significant American military buildup in the region, as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to combat drug trafficking and applies pressure on Venezuela's government.

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Donald Trump's chief military adviser, visited American troops in Puerto Rico and aboard a Navy warship on Monday. His office stated that the trip aimed to thank service members for their support of regional missions. Caine is scheduled to meet Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Tuesday to discuss challenges including illicit narcotics, arms and human trafficking, and activities by transnational criminal organizations. Separately, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will travel to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Wednesday for talks with President Luis Abinader, Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre, and other officials to strengthen defense ties and reaffirm U.S. commitments to regional security, according to the Pentagon.

These engagements occur against the backdrop of the largest U.S. military presence in...