U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to permit additional U.S. troop and aircraft deployments in the Caribbean to counter drug trafficking. He made the remarks in the Dominican Republic, which has approved temporary U.S. personnel, and urged other nations to allow a similar presence. The move follows an uptick in regional operations — including strikes on suspected trafficking vessels that have killed dozens — and aims to boost surveillance and interdiction across the region.
US to Expand Troop and Aircraft Deployments in Caribbean to Combat Drug Trafficking, Hegseth Says

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