Trump Orders Second Carrier to Middle East as Iran Deadlock Deepens

In a significant escalation of military pressure, President Donald J. Trump has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) to depart the Caribbean and head for the Middle East. The move, first reported by The New York Times on Thursday, February 12, 2026, will put two of the world’s most powerful aircraft carrier strike groups in striking distance of Iran, effectively doubling the U.S. naval “armada” in the region. 
From Venezuela to the Persian Gulf
The Ford’s redeployment marks a sharp strategic pivot for the administration. Since October 2025, the carrier had been the centerpiece of a massive military buildup in the Caribbean, a mission that culminated in the January 3 raid that captured Nicolás Maduro. While the carrier was expected to return to Norfolk for much-needed maintenance, the deteriorating situation with Tehran has forced an extension of its eight-month deployment. 
The strike group, which includes its accompanying cruisers and destroyers, is expected to join the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in the North Arabian Sea. U.S. officials indicate the Ford will likely remain on station until late April or early May, ensuring that a “Maximum Pressure” military posture remains in place throughout the next phase of nuclear negotiations.
A Signal to Tehran and Jerusalem
The decision to surge a second carrier follows Trump’s Tuesday interview with Axios, in which he warned that Iran must choose between a “Great Deal” and “something very tough like last time.” By moving the Ford, Trump is providing a physical backing to the “Midnight Hammer” ultimatum he issued following his Wednesday meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 
“The President is not taking ‘no’ for an answer on the nuclear file,” a senior defense official stated. “If the Oman talks stall, he wants the capability to strike not just nuclear sites, but the entire ballistic missile infrastructure—and he wants it done with the most advanced deck in the fleet.”
The Maintenance Challenge
The deployment comes despite pushback from Navy leadership. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle has publicly warned that extending the Ford’s mission—which began in June 2025—risks long-term damage to the ship’s state-of-the-art systems and the morale of its crew. However, with the USS George H.W. Bush still weeks away from being combat-ready, the Ford was deemed the only viable option for an immediate surge. 
As the “world’s largest aircraft carrier” makes its transit through the Atlantic, the diplomatic clock in Muscat is ticking louder. For Tehran, the sight of two supercarriers on the horizon suggests that the Trump administration’s tolerance for “serious distrust” has reached its limit.