General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Donald Trump’s top military advisor, is visiting U.S. troops in Puerto Rico and aboard a Navy warship in the region. This visit comes as the U.S. has significantly increased its naval presence, deploying an advanced aircraft carrier and conducting operations against alleged drug-smuggling vessels. Caine, accompanied by Senior Enlisted Adviser David L. Isom, aims to engage with service members and commend their contributions to regional missions. This marks Caine’s second visit since the military buildup began, following a September trip with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when U.S. Marines arrived for training exercises. The heightened military activity is widely perceived as a strategy to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the Trump administration accuses of facilitating drug trafficking into the U.S. The U.S. has designated the Cartel de los Soles, allegedly led by Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization, expanding its toolkit for addressing the crisis. However, Hegseth has remained vague about potential military actions, stating that while no options are off the table, none are automatically on it.
Top US military adviser visits Caribbean as Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuela
