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Morning Brief: USS Ford Sent to South America, UK and Germany to Launch Joint Patrols, Pakistan-Afghanistan Peace Talks Collapse

BY Guy D. McCardle

US redeploys carrier, Gaza flares, and Hurricane Melissa batters Cuba. Here’s your Wednesday Morning Brief rundown, October 29, 2025.

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) transits the Strait of Gibraltar, October 1, 2025. (DVIDS)

Good morning — it’s Wednesday, October 29, 2025. The USS Gerald R. Ford heads to South America for Trump’s expanding drug war, leaving no US carriers near Europe or the Middle East. The White House faces backlash over a reported push for live bombs in a Navy show, and Vance vows troops will be paid as the shutdown drags on. Hurricane Melissa devastates Jamaica and strikes Cuba, Israel resumes deadly airstrikes in Gaza, and the UK and Germany team up to track Russian submarines. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s junta launches election campaigns amid war, and North Korea fires cruise missiles as Trump lands in Seoul.

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USS Gerald R. Ford Sent to South America, Leaving No US Carriers Near Europe or Middle East

President Donald Trump ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) carrier strike group to South America to support an expanded campaign against drug trafficking, officials announced.

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The move pulls the Ford out of the Mediterranean at a time when a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East faces new threats, leaving the US with only one deployed carrier and none positioned off Europe or the Middle East.

The Ford strike group, which includes multiple destroyers, adds to a regional buildup that already features guided-missile ships, an F-35 squadron, a submarine, and long-range bomber patrols.

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The administration says the deployments support counter-narcotics strikes that have killed about 57 people at sea, though critics and some lawmakers say the scale and secrecy of the operations exceed typical drug interdiction missions.

Experts warn the shift could reduce US deterrence in Europe and the Middle East and increase pressure on Venezuela, while some US officials have suggested land strikes remain a possibility.

Lawmakers have also expressed concern that the White House has not fully briefed Congress on the operations.

 

White House Pushed Navy to Use Live Bombs in Anniversary Show, Sources Say

White House officials pressed the US Navy to use live 2,000-pound bombs instead of dummy munitions during a large-scale demonstration for the service’s 250th anniversary attended by President Donald Trump, according to three people familiar with the event’s planning.

The demonstration, held on October 5 at Naval Base Norfolk, featured missile launches, live-fire from destroyers, and airstrikes by carrier-based aircraft.

Sources said the White House insisted Trump “needed to see explosions,” prompting a late change from inert to live ordnance, though the White House denied any switch occurred.

The event proceeded despite a government shutdown, and safety measures were adjusted to accommodate live fire.

The move drew new scrutiny following an October 18 Marine Corps event in California, where a misfired artillery round scattered shrapnel across a freeway.

Critics say the administration has increasingly used the military for political spectacle, while the Pentagon defended the use of live munitions as standard for training purposes.

 

Vance Says Troops Will Be Paid as Shutdown Deepens and Food Aid Nears Cutoff

Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that US troops are expected to receive paychecks at the end of the week, even as the government shutdown threatens food assistance, preschool programs, and other services.

Vance did not specify how the Trump administration will fund troop pay after previously redirecting $8 billion in military research funds earlier this month.

Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which serves 42 million Americans, will run out Friday unless the Agriculture Department releases contingency funds—a step the administration has rejected.

Democrats and 25 states sued to compel continued SNAP payments.

The shutdown has also put over 65,000 Head Start seats at risk and delayed access to Affordable Care Act plan information.

A federal judge in San Francisco barred the administration from firing federal workers during the shutdown, calling the layoffs politically driven.

Despite growing public pressure, Congress remains deadlocked after 13 failed Senate votes to reopen the government, with Republicans insisting on a stopgap funding bill and Democrats demanding healthcare subsidy extensions.

 

Trump Administration Reassigns Half of ICE’s Top Field Leaders in Nationwide Shake-Up

The Trump administration is reassigning at least 12 of the nation’s 25 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office directors in one of the agency’s largest leadership overhauls, according to current and former officials.

The reshuffle, directed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), replaces half the posts with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel and the rest with ICE officers.

Additional changes through retirements and reassignments affect leaders in key cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington.

The move signals closer integration between ICE and Border Patrol amid the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement drive.

Homeland Security and the White House declined to explain the shake-up but said all immigration enforcement components are operating as a unified team. It marks the third major leadership change at ICE under Trump, reinforcing his focus on mass deportations and tougher interior enforcement.

 

Judge Disqualifies Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli for Exceeding Legal Term Limit

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Acting US Attorney Bill Essayli has served illegally beyond the 120-day limit set by law, disqualifying him from overseeing several criminal cases in Southern California.

US District Judge J. Michael Seabright found Essayli’s continued tenure as acting US attorney since July 29 violates federal law but allowed him to remain as First Assistant US Attorney, leaving him as the office’s top prosecutor in practice.

The decision follows similar rulings against acting US attorneys in Nevada and New Jersey, signaling broader judicial pushback against the Trump administration’s extensions of temporary appointments.

Essayli, a former California lawmaker and Trump ally, defended his position and said his work will continue.

The ruling stemmed from a motion by defendants in federal firearms cases, though their indictments remain valid.

The Justice Department argues Essayli’s appointment complies with the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, but the judge rejected that reasoning, saying the law doesn’t apply under current circumstances.

 

Hurricane Melissa Slams Cuba After Devastating Jamaica as One of Atlantic’s Strongest Storms

Hurricane Melissa made landfall early Wednesday near Chivirico, Cuba, as a Category 3 storm with winds of 120 mph (193 kph), after striking Jamaica with 185 mph winds—the strongest hurricane ever recorded there.

The storm prompted mass evacuations in eastern Cuba, where heavy rain and storm surges up to 12 feet are expected to cause severe flooding and landslides.

Provinces including Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, and Las Tunas remain under hurricane warning, while a watch is in effect for Bermuda.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned of widespread damage and pledged full mobilization of resources.

Jamaica suffered extensive destruction, with hundreds of thousands losing power, four hospitals damaged, and at least three deaths confirmed among seven storm-related fatalities across the Caribbean.

Melissa is forecast to move into the Bahamas later Wednesday.

 

UK and Germany to Launch Joint Patrols Tracking Russian Submarines in North Atlantic

The United Kingdom and Germany will begin joint P-8A Poseidon surveillance missions in the coming months to monitor Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic, defense officials recently announced.

Under the plan, German Navy Poseidon aircraft will operate from the UK’s RAF Lossiemouth base in Scotland alongside Royal Air Force P-8s.

Defense ministers John Healey and Boris Pistorius said the deployments will strengthen NATO’s maritime deterrence and expand intelligence-sharing between the two allies.

The patrols fall under the Trinity House Agreement, signed last year, which commits both nations to joint operations, training, and procurement — including the shared acquisition of British Sting Ray torpedoes for the Poseidon fleet.

Germany, which is replacing its aging P-3C Orions with eight Poseidons, is also increasing its Arctic presence by using Icelandic ports for naval operations and collaborating with Canada, Norway, and Denmark on maritime security.

Officials said the partnership underscores NATO’s renewed focus on protecting sea lanes and critical infrastructure from Russian naval threats.

 

Polish Jets Intercept Russian Recon Aircraft Over Baltic Sea

Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft on Tuesday flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea without a flight plan and with its transponder switched off, the Polish military said.

The aircraft did not enter Polish airspace.

The incident follows heightened NATO vigilance after three Russian military jets violated Estonian airspace in September and over 20 Russian drones crossed into Poland.

Polish officials said the interception demonstrated readiness to defend national airspace.

NATO commanders have warned that while recent firm responses have deterred Moscow’s direct incursions, Russia is likely to continue testing allied defenses.

 

Israeli Airstrikes Kill 60 in Gaza, Including Children, as Ceasefire Falters

Israeli airstrikes overnight in Gaza killed at least 60 people, including many children, local hospital officials said Wednesday, marking the deadliest breach of the fragile ceasefire since it began earlier this month.

The strikes followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s order for “powerful strikes” after Israel accused Hamas of violating the truce by firing on its troops and returning only partial remains of a hostage.

Hamas denied the accusations and said Israel’s attacks violated the agreement. Hospitals in Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and other parts of Gaza reported receiving dozens of bodies, including women and children.

US President Donald Trump, speaking during his Asia trip, defended Israel’s actions as retaliation for what he described as Hamas killing an Israeli soldier in Rafah, an incident Hamas denies.

The escalation has raised fears that the ceasefire, in place since October 10, could collapse as both sides trade blame over violations.

 

Amnesty Calls for War Crimes Probe After US Airstrike Kills 60 Migrants in Yemen Prison

Amnesty International has urged an investigation into a US airstrike in April that killed at least 60 African migrants held in a Houthi-run prison in Yemen’s Saada province, calling it a possible war crime.

The April 28 attack, part of President Donald Trump’s Operation Rough Rider campaign against Houthi rebels disrupting Red Sea shipping, reportedly struck a facility long known to house detained migrants.

Amnesty said debris from the site indicated US GBU-39 bombs were used and found no evidence of a military target. Survivors described the attack as indiscriminate.

The Houthis said 61 people were killed and denied wrongdoing, though rights groups noted their repression of journalists and aid workers hindered investigation efforts.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has not publicly explained the strike but said a review is underway.

Operation Rough Rider has targeted about 1,000 sites in Yemen, with rights groups estimating more than 200 civilian deaths, including from an April strike on an oil depot.

 

UN Investigator Condemns US Sanctions, Accuses Nations of Failing to Defend UN Independence

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories, criticized world governments Tuesday for not challenging US sanctions imposed on her, calling the move “unlawful and spiteful.”

Speaking via video to the UN General Assembly from South Africa, Albanese said the sanctions undermined the organization’s independence and integrity.

The US barred her entry earlier this year, accusing her of antisemitism and support for terrorism, charges she denies.

Albanese reiterated her claim that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to “genocide” and “apartheid,” describing the enclave as “strangled, starved, [and] shattered” under a fragile ceasefire.

Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon denounced her remarks as “shameful” and “one-sided,” while the UN human rights chief and spokesperson have both called for the sanctions’ reversal.

Albanese urged member states to press for a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal, rejecting what she called “Orwellian doublespeak” in peace efforts that allow continued violence.

 

Pakistan-Afghanistan Peace Talks Collapse in Istanbul as Tensions Over Militants Persist

Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan ended without agreement after four days of negotiations in Istanbul, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Wednesday, blaming Kabul for refusing to act against militants responsible for deadly cross-border attacks.

The talks, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, followed an earlier round in Doha that produced an October 19 ceasefire after clashes left dozens dead. Despite the diplomatic breakdown, the ceasefire remains in place, and no new fighting was reported.

Tarar accused the Taliban government of indifference toward Pakistan’s security concerns and warned that Islamabad would take all necessary steps to protect its citizens.

Afghan state media countered that Pakistan was unwilling to engage constructively.

Analysts said Kabul’s delegation avoided making firm commitments to prevent its territory from being used by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP).

The failure to reach an agreement prolongs a tense standoff between the neighbors, with key border crossings closed for over two weeks and trade routes still blocked.

 

Myanmar’s Military Regime Launches Election Campaign Amid Ongoing Civil War

Political parties in Myanmar began campaigning Tuesday ahead of national elections scheduled for December 28, a vote widely viewed as an attempt by the military junta to legitimize its 2021 coup.

The campaign kickoff came a day after UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the election could heighten instability.

Fifty-seven parties are participating, but Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy was banned along with dozens of others. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) launched its campaign in Naypyitaw and Yangon under the slogan “Stronger Myanmar.”

Fighting across the country will prevent voting in many areas, with balloting planned in only 202 of Myanmar’s 330 townships. Opposition groups and protest organizers have called for an election boycott, labeling the polls a sham.

The military has intensified airstrikes and operations to regain territory from resistance forces ahead of the vote.

 

North Korea Test-Fires Cruise Missiles as Trump Arrives in South Korea

North Korea said Wednesday it successfully tested sea-to-surface cruise missiles that flew for more than two hours before striking targets in its western waters, describing the launch as a step toward expanding its nuclear military capabilities.

The test occurred Tuesday, hours before US President Donald Trump arrived in South Korea for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit and a meeting with President Lee Jae Myung.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed detecting the launch and said Seoul and Washington are analyzing the missiles while maintaining readiness for any provocation.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump downplayed the tests but reiterated his openness to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, despite stalled diplomacy since 2019.

North Korea’s state media said senior military official Pak Jong Chon oversaw the test and naval drills involving new destroyers.

The launch follows recent short-range ballistic missile tests of a new hypersonic system and comes as Kim deepens ties with Russia while rejecting talks with the US unless sanctions are lifted.

 

US and South Korean Shipbuilders Forge Alliance to Boost Indo-Pacific Maritime Capabilities

Huntington Ingalls Industries of the United States and South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries have signed a joint strategy to expand military and commercial shipbuilding and maintenance across the Indo-Pacific.

The agreement, announced during the APEC forum in Gyeongju, includes plans for joint investments, regional maintenance expansion, auxiliary shipbuilding, and research collaboration.

The move builds on the companies’ earlier partnership to design the US Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship, a smaller, multi-role vessel for refueling and resupply missions.

The deal follows South Korea’s pledge to invest $150 billion in US shipbuilding projects, part of a broader $350 billion investment initiative.

US Navy Secretary John Phelan has made expanding US shipbuilding and repair capacity a key priority to enhance fleet readiness and sustain US naval power in the Indo-Pacific.

 

US and Japan Advance Joint Command Upgrade to Counter China’s Military Expansion

US Forces Japan has completed the first phase of its reorganization into a joint operational headquarters and is ready to move to the next stage, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday after meeting Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in Tokyo.

The upgrade aims to strengthen coordination between US and Japanese forces amid growing Chinese military activity near Japan and Taiwan.

Hegseth said the shift will enhance warfighting capability, readiness, and lethality.

The restructuring, announced in 2024, transitions US Forces Japan from an administrative liaison role to an integrated command capable of managing full-spectrum operations, from disaster relief to armed conflict.

Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to expanding joint command and control and increasing military presence in Japan’s southwest islands.

Hegseth also praised Japan’s rising defense spending and vowed rapid investment to maintain deterrence.

The announcement came a day after President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signed new US-Japan agreements on defense and critical minerals.

 

Pacific Fleet Commander Urges Tech Industry to Accelerate Navy’s AI Integration

Admiral Stephen Koehler, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, called on the technology industry Tuesday to help accelerate the Navy’s adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across operations.

Speaking at the TechNet Indo-Pacific conference in Honolulu, Koehler said AI is already being used on most Navy networks to enhance decision-making and efficiency in areas such as command and control, logistics, cyber, and intelligence. He said the Pacific Fleet — which spans nearly half the globe and includes about 200 ships and 160,000 personnel — aims to integrate AI deeply into daily operations to outpace adversaries “from seabed to space.”

Koehler emphasized a government–private sector partnership to fast-track innovation and experimentation, likening the process to “building an airplane while already flying it.”

He also highlighted “The Forge,” a new advanced manufacturing hub in Hawaii using 3D printing and rapid prototyping to equip sailors with tools to repair and modify systems independently during missions.

 

WWI Soldiers’ Messages in a Bottle Found on Australian Beach After 108 Years

A family cleaning up a beach in Western Australia discovered a century-old bottle containing letters written by two Australian soldiers en route to World War I.

Deb Brown and her family found the intact Schweppes bottle on Wharton Beach near Esperance on October 9. Inside were messages from Privates Malcolm Neville, 27, and William Harley, 37, written on August 15, 1916, days after their troop ship HMAT A70 Ballarat departed Adelaide for France.

Neville, who asked that his note be sent to his mother, was killed a year later in battle. Harley survived the war but died in 1934 from complications his family attributed to being gassed in the trenches. The letters described cheerful spirits and good food as the soldiers sailed “somewhere at sea.”

Experts believe the bottle was buried in dunes for over a century before recent coastal erosion unearthed it.

Relatives of both men described the discovery as emotional and miraculous, saying it reconnected them with their family’s wartime past.

 

Sources: News Agencies

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