U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Gravely Docks in Trinidad Near Venezuela Amid Drug War Push.

The U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG-107) arrived in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, this week in a high-visibility show of force close to Venezuelan waters. The move underscores Washington’s expanding maritime campaign to curb drug networks tied to elements within Venezuela’s state apparatus.

According to reports from the Associated Press on October 27, 2025, the USS Gravely’s port call in Trinidad marks one of the most assertive U.S. naval deployments in the southern Caribbean in recent years. Videos circulating on social media show the Arleigh Burke–class destroyer entering Port of Spain under tight security, only about 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometers) from Venezuelan waters. U.S. defense officials, speaking on background, framed the visit as part of a sustained maritime counter-narcotics initiative coordinated by U.S. Southern Command, signaling increased scrutiny of regional trafficking routes and Venezuelan-linked networks.
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U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG-107) arrives in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on October 26, 2025, marking a high-profile show of force just miles from Venezuela’s coast amid rising tensions and intensified anti-cartel operations in the Caribbean. (Picture source: Video footage AP)

The USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, is among the most capable surface combatants in the U.S. Navy arsenal. Commissioned in 2010, this Flight IIA variant carries the AN/SPY-1D(V) phased-array radar system as part of the Aegis Combat System and can conduct simultaneous anti-air, anti-submarine, anti-surface, and land-attack operations. It is equipped with 96 vertical launch system (VLS) cells that can carry a mix of SM-2, SM-6, Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, and ASROC anti-submarine weapons. The ship has a displacement of approximately 9,200 tons (8,350 metric tonnes), a maximum speed of over 30 knots (55.5 km/h), and an operational range exceeding 4,400 nautical miles (8,150 km). With a crew of more than 300 sailors, the Gravely is capable of serving as a command-and-control platform or precision strike asset, offering unmatched flexibility in littoral operations like those unfolding in the Caribbean theatre.

In Washington, Pentagon officials have described the deployment as part of a wider maritime security operation targeting transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) smuggling narcotics via Venezuela and adjacent waters. Sources within U.S. Southern Command confirmed that the Gravely is operating alongside other warships, including the destroyers USS Jason Dunham and USS Sampson, as well as maritime patrol aircraft and unmanned surveillance assets tasked with detecting and intercepting drug-laden vessels. Officials emphasized that these missions are both defensive and deterrent in nature, but analysts close to U.S. defense planning believe the show of force has broader implications.

"The deployment of a high-end guided-missile destroyer like the Gravely, rather than a Coast Guard cutter or amphibious ship, is not accidental," said a senior naval analyst who requested anonymity. "This is about projecting power close to a hostile shore, maintaining escalation dominance, and reminding Maduro that U.S. naval forces can reach his coastline in minutes, not hours."

Indeed, the geopolitical timing is critical. Over the past year, intelligence from DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) and DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) sources has increasingly pointed to renewed activity by the so-called Cartel de los Soles, a criminal network reportedly intertwined with the upper ranks of Venezuela’s armed forces and political elite. The Biden administration, following legal precedents established during prior administrations, has declared many of these actors as narco-terrorists, granting the Department of Defense greater latitude in deploying military assets for interdiction missions under Title 10 authorities.

In Caracas, the Maduro government responded with fury. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez issued a statement calling the destroyer's arrival a "direct provocation orchestrated by the CIA and its regional puppets." Meanwhile, state television broadcast footage of Venezuelan National Guard forces conducting coastal defense drills along the Paraguaná Peninsula, not far from the presumed maritime patrol routes of U.S. Navy vessels.

President Maduro, speaking during an emergency session of the National Constituent Assembly, warned that "imperialist forces" were preparing for a "naval blockade aimed at strangling the Bolivarian revolution." He ordered heightened readiness for both the Venezuelan Navy and air defense forces, though the country’s aging fleet and largely obsolete radar coverage offer little credible deterrence against a ship like the Gravely.

Still, the risk of escalation cannot be discounted. While the U.S. Navy insists its forces are not conducting operations inside Venezuelan territorial waters, their proximity raises the chance of incidents, especially given Venezuela’s unpredictable military posture. Intelligence officials are reportedly concerned about a potential false flag provocation or miscalculated interception attempt by pro-Maduro militias operating near the maritime border.

On the diplomatic front, regional reactions have been divided. The government of Trinidad and Tobago, while hosting the USS Gravely, reiterated its commitment to anti-narcotics cooperation but stressed that the U.S. had full operational control of the destroyer’s actions. In contrast, some CARICOM (Caribbean Community) member states expressed concern that such a heavy military footprint could destabilize the region or drag smaller nations into a superpower confrontation.

From a capabilities standpoint, the U.S. Navy Gravely’s deployment redefines the nature of the U.S. "war on cartels" in the Western Hemisphere. Unlike earlier missions dominated by surveillance aircraft and fast patrol boats, the presence of a destroyer armed with Tomahawks and Standard Missiles elevates the mission profile to include rapid-strike and integrated missile defense, suggesting that Washington is preparing for more than just interdictions. It may also be preparing to strike cartel infrastructure at sea or ashore, if legally justified.

For Army Recognition readers, the takeaway is clear: the U.S. Navy is sharpening its maritime posture in Latin America with top-tier assets capable of operating in multi-domain environments. The USS Gravely, a ship born of Cold War air-defense needs, now finds itself facing the 21st century’s hybrid threats—from cartel speedboats to geopolitical flashpoints on the Venezuelan coast. As Washington seeks to dismantle the logistics and financing networks sustaining narco-trafficking and authoritarian regimes, the role of sea power is once again proving decisive.

This latest deployment underscores the strategic utility of forward-deployed naval forces, particularly in regions where asymmetric threats blend with conventional tensions. Whether this marks the beginning of a sustained maritime campaign against Venezuela-linked cartels or a temporary show of force remains to be seen. But for now, one thing is certain: the U.S. Navy has returned to the doorstep of Venezuela, and it has come armed, ready, and unambiguous in its intent.