US destroyer Gravely in Port of Spain for drills with TT forces

A U.S. guided missile destroyer, the USS Gravely, docked in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on Sunday to begin several days of joint training with the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, local and U.S. officials said. The ship is scheduled to remain in port until Thursday, during which a contingent of U.S. Marines will conduct exercises with local forces, officials said.

The Gravely's visit comes amid an escalation of U.S. military activity near Venezuela, including the movement of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford toward the region after a Pentagon order to deploy a carrier strike group. U.S. officials and the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain described the Gravely's stop as part of efforts to address shared threats such as transnational crime and to strengthen regional security cooperation. "Together, we address shared threats like transnational crime and build resilience through training, humanitarian missions, and security efforts," U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz said in a statement.

Trinidad and Tobago's prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has expressed support for the U.S. presence, citing longstanding cooperation on medical assistance...