Trump Confirms U.S. Military Will Deploy Second Aircraft Carrier to the Middle East

On February 13 local time, U.S. President Trump confirmed that the U.S. military will deploy a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to pressure Iran into reaching an agreement with the United States.

During a media interview at the White House, Trump stated that if the U.S. does not reach an agreement with Iran, “we will need it (the second carrier).” He also indicated that if an agreement is reached, the U.S. aircraft carriers would “leave very quickly.”

Trump mentioned that the U.S. military has already deployed one aircraft carrier strike group in the Middle East, and if necessary, additional deployments will be made. He reiterated his threat to Iran, stating that if negotiations fail, the outcome will be “bad.”

Earlier reports indicated that the USS Gerald R. Ford, which participated in the attack on Venezuela in January, along with its escort vessels, has been ordered to move from the Caribbean to the Middle East. Pentagon sources stated that the deployment of this carrier strike group will take at least a week.

Earlier this month, Trump had stated that he was considering sending a second carrier strike group to the Middle East in preparation for military action if negotiations with Iran fail.

The U.S. has recently continued to pressure Iran by deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Middle East, threatening military intervention. The last time the U.S. deployed a “dual carrier” presence in the Middle East was in April 2025, when the USS Harry S. Truman and USS Carl Vinson carrier strike groups launched large-scale airstrikes against Houthi forces in Yemen.

(CCTV reporter Cao Jian)