Coast Guard’s Pacific mission continues to expand

The ocean can be a lawless place. Far from shore, the vast seas have become plagued with everything from piracy, rampant illegal fishing, and environmental crime to drug smuggling, human trafficking, and even spying and espionage. In that mix, the U.S. and China have been competing for power and influence while frequently accusing each other of misconduct at sea.

Under both the first presidency of Donald Trump and that of Joe Biden, the U.S. Coast Guard has played an increasingly central role in America’s Pacific strategy. Now, as tensions with China continue to simmer and drug war operations ramp up in the Americas, the Coast Guard’s duties continue to expand with largely bipartisan support.

This year’s iteration of the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act authorizes $66.5 billion for Coast Guard operations over five years, along with $185 billion in total funding for Coast Guard procurement and construction for the next five years. Along with funding, the bill also includes provisions introduced by U.S. Representative Ed Case and his partners.

According to Coast Guard officials, drugs have overtaken illegal fishing as the top priority in the Pacific region. “That doesn’t mean fishing is not a priority; it’s still important,” said one official. “My sense is drugs are staying longer there. In the past, drugs flowed through and around the islands, but now they remain in the islands.”

Drugs like methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine have made their way to Hawaii, but law enforcement officials say most of these come by air, smuggled aboard both passenger and freight planes. Most of the drugs moving by sea are bound for destinations elsewhere. However, officials emphasize that these shipments still pose a significant concern. “They’re going through the region,” one agent explained. “Drug money goes back to Central America and the Western Hemisphere, and it continues to impact Americans.”

Since declaring a “war on drugs” in 1971, successive U.S. governments have spent untold billions of dollars combating drug trafficking and consumption. Despite decades of wide-ranging operations by law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and military organizations worldwide, drug trafficking and consumption are now at their highest levels in recorded history.

In September, the Trump administration controversially began lethal military strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean. The administration has so far provided no public evidence that those killed were traffickers. Recently, Adm. Alvin Holsey, who oversaw U.S. military operations in South America, announced his resignation less than a year into the position as strikes continue to escalate.

Meanwhile, in Oceania, counter-drug operations remain more traditional. During a recent patrol, Honolulu-based Coast Guardsmen assisted South Pacific island authorities with boarding and searching sailboats, which are believed to be a primary avenue for moving drugs through the Pacific islands.

“If that’s what they need, that’s what we provide,” said Coast Guard official Regan. “I’m seeking to provide what our partners want, in the manner they want it, at the time they want it, and in a way they can act on it. We’re very attuned to that because what we don’t want to do is overload them. We also don’t want to miss what they want to accomplish in their waters.”

As challenges continue to evolve across the vast Pacific, the U.S. Coast Guard remains committed to collaborating with regional partners to ensure security, combat illegal activities, and uphold the rule of law at sea.
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/10/20/hawaii-news/coast-guards-pacific-mission-continues-to-expand/

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