Washington, D.C. – February 14, 2026 — U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, to the Middle East, marking the second carrier strike group sent to the region in recent weeks as part of a deliberate strategy to increase military pressure on Iran.
The directive, confirmed by the Pentagon late Thursday, comes amid escalating tensions following a series of Iranian-backed attacks on U.S. forces and commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as heightened rhetoric between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program and support for proxy militias across the region.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the lead ship of its class and the largest and most technologically advanced aircraft carrier ever built by the United States, was previously conducting operations in the Caribbean Sea. It will now transit across the Atlantic and through the Mediterranean before joining the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, which has been operating in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility since late 2025.
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder stated in a briefing:
“The President has directed the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Middle East to enhance deterrence, reassure our allies and partners, and ensure the United States maintains the capability to respond decisively to any aggression or threats to freedom of navigation in critical waterways.”
The move doubles the U.S. carrier presence in the region at a time when Iran has continued to enrich uranium to near-weapons-grade levels, conducted large-scale missile and drone exercises, and maintained support for Houthi attacks on international shipping. Administration officials have described the deployment as both a defensive measure to protect U.S. forces and commercial vessels and a clear signal of resolve to Tehran.
President Trump, speaking briefly to reporters before boarding Marine One on Thursday afternoon, said:
“Iran has been warned many times. They continue to threaten our people, our ships, our allies. We are sending the greatest ships in the world — the Ford is unmatched — to make sure they understand: playtime is over. We will defend our interests, and we will do it with overwhelming strength.”
The USS Gerald R. Ford, commissioned in 2017, brings significantly greater air power than legacy carriers, with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), advanced arresting gear, and the capacity to operate more sorties per day with fewer personnel. Its deployment is expected to include a full air wing of F-35C Lightning II stealth fighters, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-2D Hawkeyes, and MH-60R/S helicopters.
The redeployment follows a pattern of increased U.S. military posture in the Middle East since Trump’s return to office in January 2025. Earlier this month, the administration authorised additional airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen and expanded naval patrols in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Iranian officials have responded defiantly to the announcement. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani stated on state television:
“The dispatch of more American warships will not frighten the Islamic Republic. We are ready to defend our sovereignty and interests by any means necessary. The United States should learn from history that military posturing has never succeeded against Iran.”
Allies in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, have welcomed the increased U.S. presence, viewing it as a necessary counterbalance to Iranian influence and proxy activities. Israel has also quietly endorsed the move amid ongoing concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and missile capabilities.
The dual-carrier deployment — the first since 2020 — significantly boosts U.S. power projection in the region, providing greater flexibility for air operations, intelligence gathering, and rapid response. It also places substantial U.S. naval assets within striking distance of Iranian territory, a fact that analysts say is intended to underscore the credibility of U.S. threats to respond forcefully to any escalation.
The USS Gerald R. Ford is expected to arrive in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations within the next three to four weeks, depending on transit speed and any intermediate port calls. The Eisenhower remains on station and is scheduled for a routine rotation in the coming months.
The Pentagon has emphasised that the deployments are defensive in nature and aimed at deterrence rather than provocation. However, the dramatic increase in U.S. military presence has raised concerns among some analysts about the risk of miscalculation or unintended escalation in an already volatile region.
As the USS Gerald R. Ford steams toward the Middle East, the deployment stands as one of the clearest demonstrations yet of the Trump administration’s renewed focus on projecting overwhelming military strength to counter perceived threats from Iran and its regional proxies.
