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Morning Brief: Ford Strike Group Enters Caribbean, Trump Backs Release of Epstein Files, Netanyahu Rejects Palestinian Statehood

BY Guy D. McCardle

US expands Caribbean forces, Iran halts nukes, Trump backs Epstein release. Here’s your Monday morning rundown, November 17, 2025.

The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group operates with a US Air Force B-52 as part of joint multi-domain operations, November 13, 2025. (DVIDS)

It’s Monday, November 17, 2025. The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) leads a growing US show of force near Venezuela, Trump backs releasing Epstein files, and Zelenskyy seals new arms deals in Paris. Plus, Iran signals talks after halting enrichment, and Japan rattles China over Taiwan.

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USS Gerald R. Ford Strike Group Enters Caribbean, Expanding Major US Military Presence

The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group entered the Caribbean Sea on Sunday after transiting the Anegada Passage, joining US forces operating under Joint Task Force Southern Spear, according to a Navy statement.

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The deployment creates the largest US naval presence in the region in decades, with nearly one-fifth of the Navy’s deployed fleet now concentrated there.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the strike group to the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) to bolster counter-narcotics and anti-criminal operations. The force will operate alongside the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and its Marine expeditionary unit. The strike group includes eight warships, P-8 patrol aircraft, F-35 fighter jets, and more than 6,000 personnel.

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US President Donald Trump signaled last Friday that he is considering further action toward Venezuela as US military strength in the region increases.

The Gerald R. Ford deployment, analysts note, marks a significant show of force amid escalating regional tensions and discussions over potential new operations targeting Venezuela’s government.

 

US to Label Venezuela’s Maduro-Led Drug Cartel a Terrorist Organization

The United States will designate Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles, allegedly led by President Nicolás Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization on November 24, the State Department announced Sunday.

The move expands legal authority for US actions against the group, barring its members from entering the US, allowing asset seizures, and criminalizing any support for the cartel.

The decision follows a series of US military strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that have killed about 80 people in recent months.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Maduro and his associates have corrupted Venezuela’s government and security forces.

 

Trump Backs Release of Epstein Files After GOP Revolt Forces Reversal

US President Donald Trump reversed course Sunday and urged House Republicans to vote for releasing all files related to Jeffrey Epstein, after weeks of opposing the measure and facing mounting pressure from within his party.

Trump’s shift comes as lawmakers prepare for a decisive House vote on a bipartisan bill that would force the Justice Department to disclose all Epstein case records, with redactions for victims and ongoing investigations.

The reversal follows a bitter GOP split, including a public falling-out between Trump and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who supports the bill alongside Representatives Thomas Massie, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace.

Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders now expect the measure to pass overwhelmingly.

Trump dismissed the controversy as a “Democrat hoax” and insisted he has “nothing to hide,” even as new documents raise questions about Epstein’s ties to powerful figures, including Trump himself.

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

The bill’s future in the Senate remains uncertain, but House backers predict a veto-proof majority.

 

Pompeo Joins Ukrainian Drone Maker’s Advisory Board Amid Corruption Probe

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has joined the advisory board of Fire Point, Ukraine’s top defense manufacturer known for its long-range strike drones and new Flamingo cruise missile.

The company, now building a rocket propellant factory in Denmark, aims to expand production and strengthen its global credibility by adding prominent international figures.

Fire Point faces an ongoing corruption investigation into alleged contract inflation and links to businessman Tymur Mindich, a close associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Executives deny wrongdoing and say they’ve commissioned an independent audit to prove transparency.

The company, which reported $1 billion in revenue this year, is a key player in Ukraine’s drone war against Russia. Its FP-1 drone and Flamingo missile have been used in attacks on Russian and Crimean targets.

Fire Point’s expansion, backed by Denmark’s direct funding model, underscores Ukraine’s growing domestic arms industry despite corruption concerns.

 

Greece, US to Supply LNG to Ukraine Under New Energy Deal

Ukraine signed an agreement Sunday in Athens to receive US liquefied natural gas (LNG) through Greece, marking a major step to secure winter energy supplies amid Russian attacks.

The deal between Greece’s DEPA and Ukraine’s Naftogaz was signed in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and US Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle.

The LNG will be shipped to Greece’s Alexandroupolis port and sent by pipeline to Odesa, with deliveries set to begin in January. Until then, Greece will provide interim gas supplies to Ukraine.

The agreement follows a major US-European Union (EU) energy meeting in Athens earlier this month where officials emphasized plans to replace Russian gas in Europe.

During his visit, Zelenskyy also discussed Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction and urged Greece to consider purchasing Ukrainian-made defense systems.

Mitsotakis reaffirmed Greece’s support for Ukraine’s EU bid and condemned ongoing Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure.

 

Russian Missile Strike on Balakliia Kills Three, Injures Ten Including Teenagers

A Russian missile strike hit the eastern Ukrainian city of Balakliia overnight, killing three people and injuring ten others, including three teenagers, Kharkiv regional officials said Monday.

The attack damaged apartment buildings and destroyed dozens of cars in the city center, according to Governor Oleh Synehubov.

Nine of the wounded were hospitalized, local officials said.

Moscow has not commented on the strike.

The Kharkiv region, which borders Russia, has faced persistent missile and drone attacks that have crippled infrastructure and left parts of the area, including Izyum, without power after Sunday night’s bombardment. Thousands of civilians have died since Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly four years ago.

 

Zelenskyy to Sign Major Defense Deals in France for Jets, Missiles, and Air Defenses

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to sign a series of defense agreements with France on Monday to expand Ukraine’s air-defense systems, missile stockpiles, and combat aviation capacity amid escalating Russian attacks.

The deals, expected after talks with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, include a potential 10-year aviation pact that could eventually provide Ukraine with Dassault Rafale fighter jets, along with additional SAMP/T air-defense systems and Aster 30 missiles.

Macron’s government said the agreements aim to strengthen Ukraine’s long-term ability to defend itself and integrate French defense technology into its military modernization plans.

Zelenskyy will also meet with French arms manufacturers, including Dassault, and attend a forum on drone cooperation between Ukrainian and French firms.

The new deals follow Macron’s earlier pledge to send Mirage jets and more missiles, even as France faces domestic political and budget pressures.

 

Netanyahu Rejects Palestinian Statehood Ahead of UN Vote on Gaza Resolution

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday to oppose any effort to establish a Palestinian state, one day before the UN Security Council votes on a US-drafted resolution that could pave the way for Palestinian independence as part of a Gaza ceasefire plan.

Netanyahu said Israel’s position “has not changed one bit,” arguing that a Palestinian state would reward Hamas and endanger Israel’s security.

The US resolution calls for an international stabilization force in Gaza and includes new language supporting Palestinian self-determination, describing US President Donald Trump’s plan as a “credible pathway” to statehood.

Hamas and other Palestinian factions rejected the proposal, calling it biased and warning against international control over Gaza.

Netanyahu’s remarks come amid mounting international pressure following recognition of Palestinian statehood by several Western nations. He also addressed a surge in settler violence in the West Bank, describing it as the work of a small minority, though rights groups say attacks are widespread and largely go unpunished.

Palestinian health officials report seven deaths in recent weeks, including six teenagers, as violence in the occupied territory escalates alongside continued clashes in Gaza.

 

Iran Halts Uranium Enrichment After Airstrikes, Signals Openness to Talks

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that the country has stopped enriching uranium following Israeli and US airstrikes that destroyed its enrichment facilities during June’s 12-day war.

Speaking at a summit in Tehran, Araghchi said all Iranian nuclear sites remain under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring and that no enrichment is currently taking place because the facilities were damaged.

Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s “inalienable right” to peaceful nuclear enrichment but left open the possibility of new negotiations with the United States, saying talks could resume if Washington drops its “maximalist” demands. Satellite imagery shows no reconstruction at bombed sites in Fordo, Isfahan, or Natanz.

Iranian officials said the country faces continued threats of further attacks if it attempts repairs.

The remarks come ahead of an IAEA board meeting that could impose new sanctions over Tehran’s lack of cooperation, as Iran grapples with economic strain and security vulnerabilities following the strikes.

 

Dubai Air Show Opens With Focus on Airline Expansion, Flying Taxis, and Military Displays

The Dubai Air Show opened Monday with Emirates and FlyDubai expected to announce major fleet expansions following record profits and surging global travel demand.

Emirates, which earned $5.2 billion last year, may follow its $52 billion Boeing order from 2023 with new purchases, while FlyDubai is expected to grow beyond its 95 Boeing 737s and explore adding Airbus jets.

The United Arab Emirates government also announced a $35 billion plan to expand Al Maktoum International Airport to five runways and 400 gates within a decade.

The show will highlight emerging technologies such as flying taxis, which Dubai hopes to launch next year, alongside a strong military presence featuring Russia’s Rosoboronexport, which is displaying air defense systems despite Western sanctions.

Israeli firms were absent from the event amid ongoing anger over the Israel-Hamas war, while air defense technology drew heightened interest following recent regional conflicts involving Iran, Israel, and Qatar.

 

Japan’s New Prime Minister Sparks Tension With China Over Taiwan Defense Remarks

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi triggered a diplomatic clash with China after suggesting that a Chinese naval blockade or attack on Taiwan could prompt a Japanese military response.

Takaichi’s remarks, made November 7 during a parliamentary session, went further than any statement by past Japanese leaders and signaled a tougher stance toward Beijing. She later declined to retract her comments but said she would avoid discussing hypothetical scenarios in the future.

China strongly condemned the statement, summoning Japan’s ambassador and warning against interference in what it calls a domestic matter. In response, Japan’s Foreign Ministry protested a social media post by China’s consul general in Osaka that used inflammatory language.

Beijing has since advised citizens against traveling to Japan and announced new coast guard patrols around disputed islands.

Takaichi, a longtime supporter of Taiwan and protégé of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has called for faster military buildup and closer cooperation with the US. Her remarks highlight Japan’s evolving security doctrine under its postwar constitution, which permits the use of force only for self-defense but allows aid to allies if Japan’s survival is at stake.

 

Kashmiri Man Arrested in Connection With Deadly New Delhi Car Bombing

India’s National Investigating Agency said Sunday it arrested a man from Indian-controlled Kashmir accused of conspiring with a suicide bomber in last week’s car explosion that killed 10 people and injured 32 near New Delhi’s Red Fort.

The agency identified the suspect as Amir Rashid Ali, who allegedly helped arrange the vehicle used in the blast. Authorities said the driver and suspected suicide bomber, identified as Umar Un Nabi, was a Kashmiri doctor teaching near Delhi.

Security forces later demolished Nabi’s home in Pulwama as part of a widening crackdown that has led to mass detentions and raids across Kashmir. The explosion followed the dismantling of a militant cell in the region earlier that day.

Last Friday, confiscated explosives detonated accidentally at a Srinagar police station, killing nine and injuring 32.

 

Sources: News Agencies

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