The U.S. Marines and Sailors of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit began amphibious training and flight operations Sunday at Camp Santiago in southern Puerto Rico – a U.S. territory in the Caribbean.
The exercise took place just days before the U.S. struck a U.S.-bound vessel allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, which President Donald Trump said was operated by the designated narco-terrorist group Tren de Aragua.
Exercises include ship-to-shore movements, reconnaissance, patrolling, and survival training conducted in coordination with the Puerto Rico National Guard. “These combined efforts are aimed at enhancing regional security, disaster response capabilities, and joint capacity building,” the Marine Corps said.
The 22nd MEU is operating with the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima and the amphibious transport dock ships USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale. The amphibious ready group deployed from the U.S. East Coast on August 14.
📍 NORFOLK, Va. – Sailors and Marines assigned to the Iwo Jima (IWO) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) – 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Special Operations Capable (SOC) departed for a regularly scheduled deployment, August 14.
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— U.S. Fleet Forces (@USFleetForces) August 14, 2025
The drills come after the Pentagon deployed destroyers, a nuclear-powered submarine, and amphibious ships to the Caribbean as the Trump administration escalates operations against drug cartels.
