President Donald J. Trump poses for a Family Photo with world leaders at the Shield of the Americas summit at Trump National Doral, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Miami, Florida. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump unveiled a sweeping new strategy to combat drug cartels across the Western Hemisphere, declaring that powerful trafficking networks should be treated as national security threats rather than ordinary criminal organizations.

At the Shield of the Americas Summit held Saturday at the Trump National Doral resort near Miami, Trump announced a proclamation directing the United States to use “any necessary resources,” including military power, to dismantle cartel operations threatening the region.

“The United States will train and mobilize partner nation militaries to achieve the most effective fighting force necessary to dismantle cartels and their ability to export violence,” Trump said.

The initiative marks a major shift in U.S. policy, framing drug cartels as narco-terrorist organizations capable of controlling territory, corrupting governments, and threatening regional stability.

The administration has already launched operations tied to the strategy. Operation Absolute Resolve recently led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, while Operation Southern Spear has deployed U.S. naval forces to intercept cartel-linked smuggling vessels across the Caribbean and Pacific.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told regional military leaders that the United States prefers to fight the cartels alongside allied nations but is prepared to act alone if necessary.

Several major regional powers — including Mexico, Colombia and Brazil — were notably absent from the summit, despite their central role in narcotics trafficking routes.

Trump warned that nations unwilling or unable to confront cartel violence should not expect their sovereignty to shield criminal organizations.

“The only way to defeat these enemies is by unleashing the power of our military,” the president said.

The summit also highlighted Washington’s broader goal of restoring U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere while countering growing Chinese economic and security ties in the region.

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