US troops installing surveillance system in Tobago, PM Persad-Bissessar confirms

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has confirmed that the United States is installing a new radar system in Tobago to enhance surveillance and monitor activity within and beyond Trinidad and Tobago’s borders.

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Speaking to reporters Thursday after a laptop distribution event, Persad-Bissessar verified that US Marines remain in the country, assisting with security upgrades and radar installation at ANR Robinson International Airport. Her comments follow recent public reports of US personnel spotted at a popular Tobago hotel and military aircraft landings tracked by flight-monitoring platforms.

Earlier this week, the Prime Minister had stated that approximately 350 Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) had departed on November 21 after completing joint training exercises with the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, and that no US Marines remained in the country. However, she clarified Thursday: “On further inquiries, yes, in Tobago, there are some. US Marines are there, and they’re helping us with the airport.”

The radar installation is intended to strengthen surveillance and intelligence gathering to combat narcotics trafficking in T&T’s waters, Persad-Bissessar said, while also contributing to airport infrastructure and security improvements. She did not explain why her position shifted within 24 hours but emphasized that the initiative is part of broader national security efforts.

The US military presence in Trinidad and Tobago has increased since late October, when the guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely docked at the Port of Port of Spain with members of the 22nd MEU for training and operational cooperation. The Marines departed on October 30 but returned earlier this month for additional exercises.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited the region this week, following a meeting with Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, who authorised restricted areas for US anti-drug operations. Hegseth also addressed sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, later releasing a video offering Thanksgiving wishes and prayers for two National Guard soldiers wounded in a Washington, DC shooting.