President Donald Trump Launches Shield of the Americas Military Coalition to Eradicate Latin American Cartels

President Donald Trump used the "Shield of the Americas" summit at his Trump National Doral resort in Florida to announce a new regional security initiative.

“Only the hosts, the president and United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, spoke at the meeting”

ANSA Latina

The initiative was variously called the "Americas Counter Cartel Coalition," the "Coalition of the Americas Against the Cartels," and the "Shield of the Americas," and was framed as a military coalition to eradicate criminal cartels across the Western Hemisphere.

Cadena 3 Argentina

The White House presented the initiative as a historic regional effort with military backing, and different outlets reported the announcement with varying names and descriptions.

The New York Times reported Trump announced a new regional effort he called the "Americas Counter Cartel Coalition," Semana described it as the "Coalition of the Americas Against the Cartels," and NTN24 said the announcement unveiled a "17-country military coalition aimed at eradicating criminal drug cartels," calling the declaration "historic."

Trump and the White House framed the pact as a militarized, hard-power response that could include strikes, missiles and lethal force.

The Times quoted Trump saying the U.S. military was already striking cartels "where we can" and would "go heavier."

CiberCuba

Multiple regional outlets reported the proclamation authorizes the use of "lethal military force to destroy" cartels and said the coalition would deploy "hard power" to strip groups of territory, financing and resources.

France 24 and El Mundo CR noted Trump even suggested the possible or explicit use of missiles.

Medi1 News and Vistazo also recorded the administration’s pledge to intensify military actions — including ground and naval strikes — and to "dismantle" cartels by force.

The summit gathered a bloc of largely right‑wing Latin American leaders while excluding governments identified as left‑ or center‑left, highlighting an ideological split in the region.

“By the CiberCuba editorial team Saturday, March 7, 2026 - 11:56 Share on: Related videos: Trump convened a summit 'Shield of the Americas' with right-wing Latin American leaders in Miami President Donald Trump convened on Saturday at the Trump National Doral complex in Miami a summit titled 'Shield of the Americas,' where he brought together leaders from 12 Latin American and Caribbean nations to formalize a regional coalition against drug trafficking, the cartels, illegal migration and transnational organized crime”

CiberCuba

Multiple outlets listed attending presidents and representatives including Argentina’s Javier Milei, El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa, Paraguay’s Santiago Peña, the Dominican Republic’s Luis Abinader, Panama’s José Raúl Mulino, Costa Rica’s Rodrigo Chaves, Honduras’s Nasry Asfura, Chile’s president‑elect José Antonio Kast, and representatives from Trinidad & Tobago and Bolivia.

Those outlets also noted that Mexico, Brazil and Colombia were not invited.

Coverage from MercoPress, CiberCuba and N+ emphasized the selective invitation list and the summit’s tilt toward like‑minded, mostly right‑wing governments.

The White House formalized the initiative with a proclamation and said military representatives from as many as 17 nations pledged to join coordinated actions.

Several reports named U.S. officials and envoys assigned to the effort.

Diario Nuevo Día

Semana and Medi1 News described the proclamation as creating an Anti-Cartel coalition of military leaders from 17 countries and committing the U.S. to train, mobilize and support partner armies.

CiberCuba reported Kristi Noem was named special envoy for the initiative and said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and General Frank Donovan of U.S. Southern Command would participate.

The New York Times also noted that 17 nations have pledged to join.

Observers and coverage framed the summit as both a security push and a political signal.

“With Milei in attendance, Trump announced a new “military coalition” in Latin America against the cartels Donald Trump opened the Shield of the Americas summit in Florida alongside regional leaders, including Argentine President Javier Milei”

Diario Nuevo Día

Organizers cast it as a reassertion of U.S. leadership in the hemisphere and a counter to Chinese influence.

El Colombiano

Critics noted the event’s ideological selectivity and links to recent U.S. operations in the region.

CiberCuba and Cadena 3 said the initiative “also aims to counter growing Chinese influence in the hemisphere” and that the summit was staged to show Washington’s priority for Latin America.

MercoPress and Cadena 3 highlighted the summit’s ideological tilt and likened the effort to the coalition that fought ISIS.

Several outlets referenced recent U.S. operations such as an action against a FARC dissident training camp and claims about an operation to capture Nicolás Maduro that were asserted at the event.