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The U.S. ramped up its fight against Caribbean drug cartels Monday as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine touched down in Puerto Rico to bolster military operations.
Puerto Rican Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón and First Gentleman Dr. José Yovín Vargas welcomed the pair, framing the visit as the Trump administration’s show of support for troops training on the island.
“We thank President Trump and his administration for recognizing Puerto Rico’s strategic importance to our national security, and for their commitment to combat drug cartels and the narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro,” the governor said. “We fully support America First policies that protect our borders and fight illicit activities in defense of the American people.”
The meeting took place at Muñiz Air Base in Carolina, outside San Juan, and drew top brass including Puerto Rico National Guard Adjutant General Carlos José Rivera-Román, Public Safety Secretary Brig. Gen. Arthur Garffer, and other senior military leaders.
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Hegseth addresses a formation of U.S. troops at Muñiz Air Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico on Sept. 8, 2025, amid an expanded military buildup in the Caribbean. (Credit: Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón)
Hegseth spoke to nearly 300 soldiers at the base, thanking and describing them as “American warriors.” The secretary of war also provided affirmation that those serving in the Armed Forces will be the best equipped and prepared in the world.
The visit comes as the U.S. military expands its naval footprint near Venezuela, part of President Donald Trump’s push to choke off drug flows from Latin America.
Naval and air assets have been dispatched to confront traffickers and secure key maritime routes, with some already used this week against alleged narco-terrorists.
US BOLSTERS MILITARY…
