Pentagon chief visits aircraft carrier deployed near Venezuela amid US military buildup

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors on the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier stationed in the Latin American region on Thursday, as President Donald Trump's administration undertakes a military buildup that has deepened tensions with Venezuela.

The Pentagon posted a video showing Hegseth speaking into a public address system, wishing all those aboard a happy Thanksgiving and saying he was praying for the two National Guard soldiers who were shot in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.