A U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Gravely, has been deployed to the southern border of the United States as part of President Donald Trump's administration's efforts to bolster national security. The move comes as part of Trump's plan to "retake the Panama Canal," A2 CNN reports, amid concerns about China's influence in the strategic waterway.
The USS Gravely, a 509-foot-long warship, has spent the past nine months fighting Houthi rebels in the Middle East. The ship has helped shoot down drones and missiles launched by the rebels in the Red Sea and has participated in airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
However, the USS Gravely has now been directed away from the US coast, deploying to waters normally patrolled by the US Coast Guard. According to US Northern Command General Gregory Guillot, the move is an effort to protect the “territorial integrity, sovereignty and security of the United States.”
The decision will help combat maritime terrorism, arms trafficking, transnational crime, piracy and illegal immigration by sea, according to defense officials. The USS Gravely will carry an elite Coast Guard team specialized in anti-piracy and anti-drug missions.
Meanwhile, Trump has ordered the Pentagon to draw up plans to ensure the US has full control over the Panama Canal, claiming that China's influence in the area is threatening American interests. Although a military intervention in Panama is unlikely at the moment, the US is increasing its military presence in the region to achieve its goals. (A2 Televizion)
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