Trump Launches Shield of the Americas Initiative at Florida Summit to Combat Cartels
Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Trump, highlighting strategies for intelligence-sharing and joint operations to bolster regional security, counternarcotics, and anti-money laundering.
DORAL, Fla. – President Trump launched the Shield of the Americas initiative Saturday at a summit with Latin American leaders, aiming to coordinate military, intelligence, and law enforcement efforts to dismantle narco-terrorist gangs and cartels across the Western Hemisphere.
The event at Trump National Doral brought together heads of state from over a dozen countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago. Absent were leaders from major economies like Brazil and Mexico. Trump signed a "Commitment to Countering Cartel Criminal Activity" document, emphasizing the use of military power to treat cartels as terrorist equivalents and defeat their trafficking networks.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Trump, highlighting strategies for intelligence-sharing and joint operations to bolster regional security, counternarcotics, and anti-money laundering. Trump appointed former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as special envoy to lead the coalition's implementation, praising her border security record.
Trump warned of imminent action against Cuba for supporting criminal elements and urged participating nations to counter Chinese influence in the region. The summit builds on recent joint counter-drug operations with Ecuador and aligns with the 2025 National Security Strategy's focus on the Western Hemisphere.
The initiative seeks to enhance U.S. leadership, secure borders, and promote stability by enlisting partners to combat organized crime syndicates. Select events were livestreamed on White House and State Department platforms.