The Pentagon’s two top leaders traveled to Puerto Rico amid growing tensions with Venezuela and its leader, Nicolas Maduro. The U.S. territory is serving as a staging ground for the arrival of equipment and personnel as the Trump administration continues bringing assets to the fight against drug cartels. The Trump administration considers Maduro a narco-terrorist and cartel leader.
During his visit, Hegseth flew a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey to the USS Iwo Jima, the lead ship in the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG). The ship is part of the counter-narcotics effort and currently stationed about 30 miles south of Puerto Rico.
The visit was embraced by Puerto Rico’s governor.
“Honored to welcome Secretary of War Pete Hegseth…along with General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff…to Puerto Rico,” Jennifer González-Colón said on X Monday morning. President Donald Trump last week signed an executive order changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War.
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