The U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson arrived this Sunday at a key naval base in southeastern South Korea, in the first show of strength since Republican Donald Trump's return to the White House, according to the South Korean Navy. The ship reached the naval base in the city of Busan, accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton and the destroyer USS Sterett, equipped with Aegis missile interceptors, detailed the South Korean Navy.
The South Korean Navy described the arrival of the USS Carl Vinson as a demonstration of the United States' efforts to implement its deterrence commitment on the Korean Peninsula and to show the strength of defense cooperation between Washington and Seoul in the face of North Korea's continued weapons tests. During its visit, military interoperability is scheduled to be reviewed and friendly activities will be conducted.
The commander of U.S. forces in South Korea, Xavier Brunson, mentioned that this visit of the USS Carl Vinson reinforces the commitment to strengthen the defense of allies and partners. "This visit, especially when combined with realistic training in all domains, joint and combined, enhances interoperability and ensures that we build a readiness posture to deter aggression and maintain stability in the Republic of Korea and the region," Brunson added.
The USS Carl Vinson last visited South Korea in November 2023, shortly before North Korea successfully placed its first military spy satellite into orbit. This recent visit, eight months after the arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, marks the first deployment of this nature since Trump's return to the presidency in January.
