USS Gerald R. Ford heads to Caribbean amid major U.S. military buildup near Venezuela

By Quil Lawrence,

Published November 12, 2025 at 1:41 AM PST

The world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is en route to the Caribbean Sea as U.S. forces expand operations near Venezuela, where recent strikes have killed at least 76 people.

Quil Lawrence

Quil Lawrence is a New York-based correspondent for NPR News, covering veterans' issues nationwide. He won a Robert F. Kennedy Award for his coverage of American veterans and a Gracie Award for coverage of female combat veterans. In 2019 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America honored Quil with its IAVA Salutes Award for Leadership in Journalism.

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Steve Inskeep

Steve Inskeep is a host of NPR's Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First.

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