Donald Trump sends world's largest warship USS Gerald R Ford into war on drugs

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Donald Trump has deployed a true military behemoth in his striking war on drugs - the menacing vessel could cause huge problems for one of his greatest foes

The USS Gerald R Ford at sea

The world's largest warship The USS Gerald R Ford

Donald Trump has embarked on a new front in his dramatic upscaling of the US war on drugs.

The USS Gerald R Ford - the world's biggest warship - has been sent out to the Caribbean Sea, where the US has already struck several boats it has accused of being involved in the illegal drug trade. Trump has accused Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro of being the leader of drug-trafficking groups, which the South American leader has denied. Maduro has since accused the US of "fabricating a new war" as fears in Venezuela rise that the US army could try to forcibly remove one of Trump's enemies.

Donald Trump speaking to the media on Air Force One

Donald Trump has ramped up his war on drugs

Tensions between the two nations are at a high and the US does not recognise Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader - the last Presential election in 2024 was dismissed as being not free.

Following the deployment of the world's biggest warship, Maduro, in a scathing attack on the US, said: "They promised they would never again get involved in a war, and they are fabricating a war."

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro points at a map of the Americas

Trump has accused Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro of allegedly leading drug-trafficking gangs.

This warship could change the dynamic of US and Venezuelan tensions as the capabilities of the USS Gerald R Ford could allow US troops to conduct "land action". Earlier this week Trump said: "We are certainly looking at land now, because we've got the sea very well under control."

On Friday, the Pentagon revealed the huge USS Gerald R Ford would be deployed to the US Southern Command area, which includes the Caribbean as well as South and Central America.

This warship is a staggering 334 metres in length and 78 metres in width, with a huge 100,000 tonnes displacement - making it the largest ever put at sea. This ship can carry a crew of 4,600 and up to 90 aircraft, but the size is not the only impressive feature.

The carrier has a host of technologies making it a large but efficient vessel. This includes two nuclear reactors to give the warship more power than over Navy vessels.

The USS Gerald R Ford at sea

The warship can carry 4,600 crew members (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

This extra power has allowed the USS Gerald R Ford to operate the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), which uses magnets rather than steam from the ship to launch aircrafts from the carrier. This means heavier weapons and warplanes, holding more fuel, can be sent from the ship.

It can also carry a range of missiles, including air-to-air, anti-ship and air-to-ground. These have a maximum combat range of around 2,000 km, according to the US military. Cargo, passenger and electronic-jamming aircrafts, as well as helicopters, are also carried onboard. Despite the heavy kit on the huge ship, it can remarkably reach speeds of 35 miles per hour on the waters.

Screengrab of boat getting shot

The USS Gerald R Ford has already struck several boats it has accused of being involved in the drug trade.

One piece of important military equipment however is not carried on the Ford, and this is the US Navy's latest F-35C fighter jets. Despite its size and advanced technologies, the USS Gerald R Ford also travels with a carrier strike group for defence cover. This includes a cruiser, a supply ship and at least two destroyers.

The extraordinary warship cost a staggering $13.3billion (over £9billion) to construct, also making it the most expensive war vessel in the world. The Ford was commissioned in 2017 but did not make it's first deployment until 2022.