DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The United States government announced that Secretary of War (rebranded from US Defense Secretary) Pete Hegseth will travel on Wednesday, 26 November 2025 to Santo Domingo. The official advisory from the renamed Ministry of Defense says that meetings are scheduled with President Luis Abinader, Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre and cabinet officials “to strengthen defense relationships and reaffirm America’s commitment to defend the homeland, protect our regional partners and ensure stability and security across the Americas.”

The visit is at a time when the United States has ramped up the pressure against Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, including positioning warships and forces in the Caribbean Sea. The US government accuses Maduro of heading a drug cartel. The visit coincides with international airlines canceling flights to Venezuelan airports.

The trip comes a day after Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair General Dan Caine was in Trinidad and Tobago to meet...