The Pentagon is sending the Navy’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier to the Middle East, placing two U.S. carrier strike groups within operational range of Iran as President Donald Trump ramps up pressure over Tehran’s nuclear program.
The USS Gerald R. Ford is being redeployed from the Caribbean to U.S. Central Command, where it will join the USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying warships already operating in the region.
The timing is not accidental. U.S. and Iranian officials held indirect talks in Oman last week, and Trump has made clear that negotiations will not stretch on indefinitely.
“They want to make a deal, as they should want to make a deal,” Trump told reporters. “They know the consequences if they don’t. If they don’t make a deal, the consequences are very steep.”
That warning comes as the administration moves substantial combat power into position, ensuring that any collapse in talks would be met with immediate capability, not delayed deployment. According to reporting, the deployment is tied to stepped-up planning in case negotiations fail.
The Pentagon is sending the Navy’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier to the Middle East, as the U.S. steps up plans for a potential attack on Iran, two U.S. officials said.
This marks a notable shift in posture. Just months ago, there was no U.S. aircraft carrier operating in either Central Command or European Command as the administration pivoted toward the Western Hemisphere. Now there will be two positioned near Iran.
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Trump Now Eyeing Sending Second Carrier to Middle East to Cow Iran
Trump has also pressed publicly for speed in reaching an agreement.
“It should happen quickly. They should agree very quickly.”
Putting two carrier strike groups in the region does not guarantee military action. But it removes any doubt about capability. If negotiations break down, commanders will already have the assets in place.
Tehran is negotiating with two U.S. carrier strike groups already in position and fully operational. The terms of this negotiation are no longer theoretical.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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