Hegseth visits the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region.

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth visited soldiers aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, deployed in the Latin American region, on Thursday, amidst a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has exacerbated tensions with Venezuela.

The Pentagon released a video with Hegseth utilising a public address system to extend Thanksgiving wishes to all personnel aboard and to express his prayers for the two National Guard members who were shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

The United States halts the processing of Afghan immigration applications following an assault near the White House.

Since September, US forces have conducted a minimum of 21 strikes against purported drug vessels in the Caribbean and along the Pacific coast of Latin America, resulting in the deaths of at least 83 individuals.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has consistently claimed that the US military buildup aims to oust him from power.