The United States has ordered the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to sail toward the Middle East as President Donald Trump considers possible military action against Iran, according to U.S. officials cited by the Associated Press.
The deployment would place two U.S. carrier strike groups in the region, increasing military pressure on Tehran as Washington seeks progress on negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
The move follows the recent arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided‑missile destroyers in the Middle East roughly two weeks ago. Trump had previously told Axios he was weighing the option of sending a second carrier group to the area.
The new orders also mark a rapid redeployment for the USS Ford, which the administration diverted from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean in October for the surprise operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The decision comes after Trump warned Iran on Thursday that failure to reach an agreement would have “very traumatic” consequences. He added that any deal “must happen quickly,” underscoring the urgency the White House is placing on the talks.
