The Pentagon has directed preparations for a second U.S. aircraft carrier strike group to deploy to the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran. President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for three hours at the White House, emphasizing continued negotiations while maintaining military readiness. Officials indicate the USS George H.W. Bush could join the USS Abraham Lincoln within weeks if ordered.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a three-hour closed-door meeting at the White House, their seventh such encounter during Trump's second term. The discussions focused on U.S.-Iran negotiations, with Trump stating, “There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated.” He added that a deal would be preferable but warned, “If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be.” Netanyahu's office noted that the prime minister emphasized Israel's security needs, including limits on Iran's nuclear program, missile capabilities, and support for regional proxies, and the leaders agreed to maintain close coordination.
The meeting occurred as the U.S. bolsters its military presence in the region. The Pentagon has ordered a second aircraft carrier strike group to prepare for deployment, according to U.S. officials cited by The Wall Street Journal. This would join the USS Abraham Lincoln, which arrived in late January with guided-missile destroyers equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles. The USS George H.W. Bush, currently in training off Virginia, is the likely candidate and could expedite its transit within two weeks, marking the first dual-carrier operation in the Middle East in nearly a year.
Trump confirmed on Tuesday he is considering the deployment to increase leverage in stalled talks over Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Recent U.S. assets include Littoral Combat Ships in the Persian Gulf, F-35A Lightning II jets, F-15E Strike Eagles, and EA-18G Growler aircraft at bases in Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE, plus THAAD and Patriot missile batteries. Pentagon officials describe the posture as deterrence through readiness. United States-Iran talks concluded on Friday in a “calm atmosphere,” per Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, though he deemed the missile issue “in no way negotiable” and vowed retaliation against U.S. bases if attacked.
Trump referenced past U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, saying, “That did not work well for them.” The Navy and White House declined comment on ship movements for operational security.
