The Trump administration has announced plans to utilize an air base and airport in the Dominican Republic to bolster efforts against drug cartels, as stated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a press conference with President Luis Abinader on Wednesday.
Aircraft will conduct refueling and logistical operations at the San Isidro base and Las Americas international airport, located near Santo Domingo. President Abinader emphasized that this agreement will be “technical, limited and temporary,” intended to address the significant threat posed by narcotics traffickers to the island nation, which has a history of unwanted U.S. interventions.
“Our country faces a real threat,” Abinader remarked, addressing the media alongside Hegseth at the national palace. “That threat does not recognize borders or flags; it destroys families and has used our territory as part of its routes for decades.”
Historically, the Dominican Republic has served as a critical transshipment hub for drugs destined for the United States and Europe, despite its reputation for idyllic beach resorts.
Hegseth’s visit to Santo Domingo comes as the Trump administration embarks on the largest military deployment in the Caribbean in decades, aiming to confront alleged drug traffickers. This initiative follows the U.S. designation of the Venezuelan group known as the Cartel of the Suns as a foreign terrorist organization just two days prior.
The U.S. government alleges that the Cartel is operated by high-ranking military officials, including President Nicolás Maduro, who denies these claims.
On a related note, General Dan Caine, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Trinidad and Tobago earlier this week to hold discussions focused on the regional drug threat. Trinidad, situated just off the coast of Venezuela, has become pivotal to the U.S. military presence in the area, with U.S. warships docking in Port of Spain.
This month also saw the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, in the Caribbean, fueling speculation regarding potential military actions against Venezuela, a prospect previously mentioned by Trump. The U.S. has conducted multiple strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in over 80 fatalities.
Critics argue that these military actions amount to extrajudicial executions; however, Trump has defended the strikes, asserting that the targets belong to international criminal organizations responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans due to drug overdoses. He has fluctuated between hinting at possible land strikes and suggesting direct dialogue with Maduro.
