The U.S. has sent fighter jets to Puerto Rico amid escalating tensions with Venezuela, Rep. Carlos Gimenez said Friday.

The ten F-35s were sent after Pentagon officials said a pair of Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets f lew over a U.S. warship , the USS Jason Dunham, in the international waters of the Caribbean on Thursday, Gimenez said.

The Defense Department late Thursday warned Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government of further actions.

"Yesterday the illegitimate government in Venezuela flew a couple of F-16s over one of our destroyers in the Caribbean, a very provocative act," Gimenez said in a video posted on X Friday. "I think that by sending 10 F-35s into Puerto Rico to give them cover sends a very clear signal to Maduro not to do it again. I support the president's policy

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