Hegseth and Caine visit Puerto Rico as US steps up military operations in the Caribbean

By DÁNICA COTO

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Puerto Rico on Monday as the U.S. steps up its military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean.

Their arrival in the U.S. territory comes more than a week after ships carrying hundreds of U.S. marines deployed to Puerto Rico for a training exercise, a move that some on the island have criticized.

Puerto Rico’s Gov. Jenniffer González said Hegseth and Caine visited on behalf of President Donald Trump’s administration to support those participating in the training.

“We thank President Trump and his administration for recognizing the strategic importance of Puerto Rico to U.S. national security and for t

See Full Page