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Students and teachers from the Lochmaben Roman Catholic School in Cedros as they toured the USS Gravely (DDG-107) in Port of Spain on October 27. - Photo courtesy US EmbassyON THE eve of the arrival of US military personnel for a week-long "training mission" with the TT Defence Force and growing concerns that it would fan flames of tension with neighbouring Venezuela, the US Embassy has sought to quell fears.
In a statement on November 15, the embassy highlighted the deep ties between the US military and the TTDF, "which has resulted in stronger security cooperation benefiting both nations and the region."
This is the second visit by members of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, who are part of a contingent deployed in the Caribbean Sea since late August to combat suspected narco-traffickers, in training missions with the TTDF.
Members of the specialised US unit were here between October 26 and 30 when the USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, moored in Port of Spain.
Venezuela viewed the US military presence in TT then as an act of provocation and accused TT of being complicit with the US' Central Intelligence Agency to carry out "a false flag" operation.
On November 14, Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Sean Sobers announced the return of the US 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) for training exercises over the coming week.
Sobers said the exercises would take place in both urban and rural settings throughout the country, mainly at dusk and after dark, and would involve the use of helicopters.
The close succession of visits has raised eyebrows, especially given the historic buildup of US military assets in the region and some 20 lethal airstrikes killing 80 suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean since September 2.
While Washington has said the buildup is against narco-trafficking, supported by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
US authorities maintain Maduro's leadership is illegitimate, with President Donald Trump hinting that his days are numbered.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One last week that he has "sort of" made up his mind on his next step against the South American country.
“I sort of have made up my mind, yeah. I can’t tell you what it would be, but I sort of have made up my mind, yeah," Trump said. He had previously stated that land strikes were being considered.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, however, denounced any insinuation that the upcoming training exercises were a cover for intelligence gathering or to launch a war with Venezuela.
The US has been amassing military assets in the Southern Caribbean since August, with its largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, arriving earlier last week along with supporting vessels. They join other assets like guided missile destroyers, reconnaissance planes, F-35 fighter jets and Reaper drones, among others.
TT's Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration has expressed resounding support for the US military action in the Caribbean, despite Caricom's opposing view of maintaining a "zone of peace" in the region.
Persad-Bissessar and her cabinet have refuted the terminology, saying TT is disproportionately affected by the illegal drugs and weapons trade from Venezuela due to geographical proximity.
US military, TTDF ties
An embassy release on November 15 said that between October 27 to 29, it said, US Marines from the 22nd MEU embarked aboard the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, conducted a military-to-military engagement and subject matter expert (SME) exchange with the TTDF.
"The engagement marked a pivotal step toward strengthening regional security and mutual understanding. It is one of an ongoing series of engagements and SME exchanges currently planned between the 22nd MEU and the TTDF," it said.
The embassy said the docking of the USS Gravely in the capital supported side-by-side training between the US Marine Corps and the TTDF to strengthen regional security cooperation. The engagement, it said, offered "a strategically valuable opportunity to reinforce defence collaboration – highlighting shared values, operational alignment, and the importance of interpersonal connection in advancing regional stability in the Caribbean."
The embassy said during the visit, 35 students and 15 teachers from the Lochmaben Roman Catholic School, Cedros, toured the ship following the completion of infrastructure upgrades and donations to their school by the United States Southern Command (USSouthcom). The school benefitted from educational materials and equipment, including 13 computers, a printer, office furniture, and educational resources donated by USSouthcom through the embassy.
In August, it said, USSouthcom’s US Naval Construction Battalion Sailors (Navy Seabees) provided infrastructure upgrades to the school during Operation Continuing Promise and the USNS Comfort visit to TT from August 5 to 11. The Seabees’ work on the school included structural repairs to the building, water and sewage system, and electrical system improvements.
"During the USNS Comfort’s visit, the US and TT strengthened military-to-military cooperation through subject matter expert exchanges in health care collaboration, disaster preparedness and response, and law enforcement capacity building. In addition to the subject matter exchanges, the crew of the USNS Comfort offered free adult medical services, pediatric medical services, dental care, optometry, physical therapy, and dermatology care, and performed over 80 surgeries on board the ship free of charge to the people of TT."
From April 26 to May 8, the embassy said, USSouthcom sponsored the 40th iteration of the Tradewinds exercise, co-hosted by the TTDF and United States Army South, where over 1,300 military and security personnel from 24 nations from across the region participated, facilitating training to counter transnational organised crime and conduct humanitarian assistance operations, and natural disaster response.
On May 27, the embassy unveiled a commemorative plaque at its Marli Street courtyard honouring the decades-long relationship between the two countries’ militaries, timed with US Memorial Day. It said the plaque commemorates the legacy of over 130,000 US military personnel and more than 10,000 Trinbagonians who served in TT from the 1940s through the 1970s.
"These individuals played a critical role in safeguarding allied supply lines during World War II and maintaining vital lines of communication to the Panama Canal.
"The plaque, commissioned by the American Battle Monuments Commission, stands as a permanent tribute to the enduring bonds of friendship, shared sacrifice, and cooperation between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago. It honours the deep and lasting contributions made by both nations in defence of global peace and security during a pivotal time in world history."
In July 2024, USSouthcom, through the embassy, donated 45 military radios, known as Harris radios, valued at US$653,000 to the TTDF.
From April 27 to May 15, 2024, the Delaware National Guard (DENG) and the TTDF engaged in joint aviation interoperability training, which included mutual sharing of expertise and consisted of planning and executing air operations and enhancing maintenance practices. The training involved the use of two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters along with approximately 20 air crew and support personnel. It took place throughout TT in both urban and rural areas.
"The training with the Blackhawks enhanced maritime domain awareness through the use of air assets and demonstrated the value of greater military-to-military cooperation."
Additionally, it said the training between the DENG and the TTDF was part of the 21-year-long State Partnership Program between the US state of Delaware and TT.
In 2022, the TT/Delaware partnership won Partnership of the Year as the top partnership in the world. The State Partnership Program began in 1993 and pairs a United States state with a foreign country based on specific criteria. At present, there are 100 partnerships.
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