Trump faces resistance from Navy’s top admiral as second US carrier heads toward Middle East
U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East as a second aircraft carrier amid tensions with Iran has reportedly drawn rare public resistance from the Navy’s senior leadership.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said the carrier would be an “invaluable” military option, but warned he would push back against extended deployments, stressing that sailors need predictable seven-month rotations and proper readiness cycles.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, would significantly boost American naval presence in the region as Washington increases pressure on Tehran.