Top Gun: Optics vs. Mavericks

Hurricane Melissa is a Category 5 storm that is heading toward Jamaica. This historic storm has already claimed lives in the Caribbean, and it's expected to have devastating impacts when it makes landfall in Jamaica. What can we proactively do now to help Jamaica recover in the aftermath? Plus: why are U.S. warships headed to Latin America and the Caribbean? Is the Trump administration's war against "narco-terrorism" an effective strategy to stop the drug trade, or is it a Top Gun photo op? 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome
• 0:15 Hurricane Melissa
• 1:56 U.S. warships are moving toward Venezuela
• 2:52 Optics vs. Mavericks
• 5:48 Does the U.S. have a free press?
• 8:24 Until next time!

Transcript

Welcome to The Friday Brief, a news podcast by Girl Friday. I’m Phoenix Ricks, the CEO of Girl Friday and your host. This is your brief for October 28, 2025. 

Climate change is always on geopolitical agendas, but I've found that pending weather events are often not on my clients' radars. Hurricane Melissa is heading toward Jamaica, and it deserves everyone’s immediate attention, especially if you are located in this hemisphere. CNN says Melissa has become "a rare Category 5 with winds of 175 mph and stronger gusts, making it the strongest storm on the planet this year." Jamaica hasn't been hit directly in more than a decade. A representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies even called this "one of the storms of the century." While there are mandatory evacuations in coastal areas, please do not assume that your employees, families, and friends have already been evacuated. Check in with them. This storm is already fatal. Seven deaths were reported before landfall in Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

If Jamaica is one of your company’s markets, part of your supply chain, or even a space where you have hosted corporate or personal events, please start thinking about how you're going to support this beautiful island in the aftermath of Melissa. This is a historic hurricane, and the Caribbean will need assistance in rebuilding. In more news from this region, U.S. warships are moving toward Latin America and the Caribbean. My personal hope is that the U.S. government will immediately pivot its military strategy and use these tax-funded resources to support the Caribbean instead of escalating tensions with Venezuela. 

Yesterday, CBS reported that the USS Gravely had docked in Trinidad and Tobago's capital. Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R. Ford is cruising closer to Venezuela. If you’re unfamiliar, the USS Gerald R. Ford is the showgirl of the U.S. Navy. CBS says, “at more than 1,100 feet long with a displacement of 100,000 long tons, the carrier is the largest in the world. It's powered by two nuclear reactors and can reach a top speed of 34.5 mph, according to the Navy.” 

If you need a visual of how this carrier operates, think of the vessel Tom Cruise makes that epic landing on near the end of Top Gun: Maverick. And, I don’t think that optic is a coincidence. Top Gun seems to be the imagery this administration is leaning into. Jackie Kennedy had Camelot, and Donald Trump has Top Gun. Think back to just a week ago, when the White House shared that horrendous AI video in response to No Kings' protests. A little Trump avatar was piloting a fighter jet in that video. That's not the only time they've tried for a Top Gun moment. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the White House also asked if Tom Cruise would accept a Kennedy Center arts award this year, and he reportedly declined. 

The fact that we’re sending a carrier strike group to hover around Latin America is unsettling. The fact that it could be for a photo opportunity is even more distressing, as it could still prove fatal. The U.S. military has been striking vessels in international waters, claiming that these vessels are carrying illicit drugs. This has prevented fisherman from doing their jobs in the region. The AP interviewed a fisherman in Trinidad and Tobago who said he’s worried that he could be killed simply for being on a ship in these waters near Venezuela. He said, “What could we do? We’re just a little dot.” This week, PBS reported that “in less than two months, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth say the U.S. military has killed at least 37 people in nine strikes against drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.” 

We have no proof that these were definitely drug traffickers, other than the U.S. statements on those strikes. Now remember, the Trump administration justifies these actions because they claim they are stopping the flow of drugs into the United States. They now refer to drug traffickers as narco-terrorists, because they’ve changed the designation of several gangs and cartels to “foreign terrorist organizations.” I’ve previously covered the difference between how the U.S. government engages with cartels versus terrorist organizations. You can now see that strategy operating in real time. 

All of us will have to rely on the press to ask critical questions, and that is a precarious proposition right now. As you may have noticed in this episode and others, I rely on outlets like CBS News. They have always maintained high editorial and research standards. Their anchors are trustworthy, and their top programs, such as 60 Minutes, have served as a roadmap for excellence in news and reporting. I cannot think of a single instance in my career when I did not rely on CBS for its global coverage of wars and humanitarian crises. It was concerning to read that CBS News anchor John Dickerson announced he will be leaving the network. He’s a seasoned journalist, who by all accounts thus far, is beloved in his newsroom and respected by his peers. The Independent reported that a senior CBS News staffer told them, “He’s a huge, huge loss,” adding that it seemed as though the network “wanted him to fail.” 

As I wish him well on his next chapter, I can’t help but worry about the future of CBS News and, frankly, the American press in general. CBS has new management, and veteran journalists I truly respect have publicly voiced concerns about its direction within this political climate. I believe that democracy dies in silence, and that silence often stems from press censorship. Historically, we've viewed censorship through the lens of government authorities restricting the free press. But now, I believe we're in an era where corporate interests have the potential to be just as oppressive as authoritarian regimes. In fact, they may all work together to shape U.S. press narratives. 

Moving forward, I will be amending how I vet news for this podcast. You’re going to hear more trusted foreign outlets and local U.S. papers in addition to the major U.S. news programs I’ve previously featured and will feature again. 

Thank you for listening to The Friday Brief. Make sure you and your friends don’t miss an episode! Check out thefridaybrief.com, and follow The Friday Brief on Instagram. Until next time, I’m Phoenix Ricks, signing off from Washington, DC. Let’s work together for a world of good.