President Trump has ordered the USS Gerald R Ford to join Iran operations in the Middle East as a diplomatic deadline appears to be nearing. The carrier’s approximately three-week journey from Caribbean waters will bring it alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln, creating unprecedented American naval capability designed to support Trump’s negotiating strategy with Tehran.
The decision came after Trump’s strategic consultation with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington, where both leaders coordinated on Iran policy requirements. Netanyahu has maintained that Israel needs comprehensive agreements addressing Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and proxy group support alongside nuclear enrichment, creating more demanding terms than Tehran has accepted.
Iranian officials have suggested flexibility on nuclear enrichment in return for sanctions relief that could alleviate economic pressures. However, Iranian leadership has categorically rejected broader demands regarding ballistic missiles and regional relationships, arguing these represent sovereign national security interests that cannot be subjected to external control.
The USS Gerald R Ford has been continuously deployed since June 2025, operating first in Mediterranean waters before Caribbean operations beginning in November where the carrier played an instrumental role in the January Maduro seizure. The Middle East redeployment extends what has already been an exceptionally lengthy deployment.
Trump intensified rhetoric toward Iran throughout the week, with Thursday bringing warnings that negotiation failure would prove “very traumatic” while expressing confidence in reaching agreement within roughly one month. Friday’s Fort Bragg remarks suggested that fundamental political change in Tehran might ultimately be more beneficial than continued negotiations.