(Barak Ravid, Colin Demarest – Axios) President Trump ordered the Pentagon to send the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and its strike group to the Middle East to boost U.S. forces in the region amid tensions with Iran, two U.S. officials confirmed. Why it matters: The move will increase the pressure on Tehran during the nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration, making the U.S. military threat even more menacing. The Ford, which is now in the Caribbean, will need three or four weeks to arrive in the region. That’s in line with the timeline Trump mentioned on Thursday, when he claimed he wanted to finalize a deal next month and would change course if no agreement could be reached. The Ford, America’s largest warship, will join the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group, which includes fighter jets, Tomahawk missiles and several ships. The U.S. had two carriers in the region during much of the war in Gaza.
Trump sends second aircraft carrier to Gulf amid Iran threats
