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By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
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According to a press release from the U.S. Navy, the USS Spruance, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, departed Naval Base San Diego on Saturday, to support southern border operations, joining the USS Gravely which was deployed to the "Gulf of America" (Gulf of Mexico) on March 15.
Both ships will carry Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) teams to assist with maritime interdiction missions.
Newsweek reached out to U.S. Northern Command Public Affairs via email on Saturday for additional comment.
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Why It Matters
This dual-destroyer deployment marks an unprecedented concentration of naval assets for border security operations.
As criminal organizations adapt to increased land border security measures, maritime routes may become more attractive alternatives for smuggling.
The Coast Guard recently announced the interdiction of approximately $141 million in illicit drugs being smuggled by sea and the arrest of 17 suspected traffickers, suggesting these enhanced maritime operations are already yielding results.
What To Know
The USS Spruance brings significant operational capabilities following its recent five-month deployment in the Middle East with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group. The deployment is in direct response to President Donald Trump's southern border executive orders and a national emergency declaration, with USNORTHCOM named as the Department of Defense's (DOD) operational lead.
Both destroyers will work with LEDET teams, which specialize in maritime interdiction and counter-narcotics operations.
Previous Navy-Coast Guard collaborations have yielded significant results, with joint operations preventing nearly 15 tons of cocaine from entering the U.S. last year alone. Criminal organizations increasingly use sophisticated vessels, including remote-operated submersibles, to smuggle drugs into the country.
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What People Are Saying
Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander, U.S. Northern Command: "With Spruance off the West Coast and USS Gravely in the Gulf of America, our maritime presence contributes to the all-domain, coordinated DOD response to the Presidential Executive Order and demonstrates our resolve to achieve operational control of the border."
Sean Parnell, Pentagon Chief Spokesman: "It's not only vital for the United States to have control of our border via land. It's equally important to control our territorial waters, and this deployment directly supports U.S. Northern Command's mission to protect our sovereignty."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously underscored the importance of border security: "Border security is national security."
What Happens Next
The presence of two advanced destroyers suggests a long-term commitment to maritime interdiction as part of the broader border security strategy under the Trump administration.
Update, 3/25/25, 11:30 p.m. ET: The photo used in this article has been updated to show the Ashleigh-Burke-class destroyer USS Spruance*. Previously it showed the Spruance-class destroyer USS* O'Brien*.*
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