President Trump has authorized USS Gerald R Ford deployment to maximize leverage in Middle East Iran negotiations. The carrier’s transit from Caribbean operations will require approximately three weeks before joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, creating a concentration of naval power designed to reinforce Trump’s diplomatic pressure on Tehran.
The decision came after Trump’s Washington meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, during which leaders discussed coordination on Iran policy frameworks. Netanyahu has insisted that Israel needs comprehensive deals addressing ballistic missile capabilities and proxy support alongside nuclear enrichment, creating more complex requirements than Tehran has thus far accepted.
Iranian negotiators have indicated potential flexibility on nuclear enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief that could provide economic benefits. However, Iranian leadership has firmly rejected demands regarding ballistic missile programs 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 operating since June 2025, first in Mediterranean waters before Caribbean assignment where the carrier demonstrated capabilities in the January Maduro seizure. The Middle East redeployment extends what has already been an exceptionally lengthy deployment with crew members facing indefinite separation.
Trump intensified rhetoric toward Iran throughout the week, with Thursday bringing warnings that negotiation failure would be “very traumatic” while expressing optimism for rapid agreement within roughly one month. Friday’s Fort Bragg remarks went further, suggesting that regime change in Iran might be preferable to continued negotiations.