Trump announces 'America's Counter Cartel Coalition,' urges partners to allow military strikes against cartels

Donald J. Trump announced a new multinational effort to confront transnational drug cartels at the Shield of the Americas summit, saying the United States would lead what he called "America's Counter Cartel Coalition." He urged partner governments to provide locations and intelligence and said the United States has the weaponry and will to act if asked.

Trump framed the coalition as a military partnership to "eradicate the criminal cartels," telling leaders gathered in the room that the pact would bring "American leadership at the forefront" of operations against cartel organizations. "We're calling this military partnership the America's Counter Cartel Coalition," he said.

The former president repeatedly positioned military force as an option for partner nations. "We'll use missiles. If you want us to use a missile, they're extremely accurate. Right into the living room," he said, presenting the offer as conditional on requests from coalition members.

Trump also listed leaders and governments present, thanking representatives from Argentina, El Salvador, Paraguay, Ecuador, Panama, Honduras, Guyana, Bolivia, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Chile and the Dominican Republic and characterizing many as allies and friends. He asked Secretary Rubio and Secretary Hegseth to offer remarks and said he would sign a proclamation "formally launching the America's counter cartel coalition."

In his speech Trump made a series of factual claims about U.S. operations and border results. He said U.S. actions against Iran had knocked out Navy ships and communications and credited a strike he named "Midnight Hammer" with preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He also asserted "we've reduced the fentanyl pouring across our border by 67%" and attributed large decreases in migration and violent crime to his administration's policies. Those statements were presented as assertions by Trump during the remarks and are recorded here as claims that were advanced in the speech.

He said the United States has "formally recognized the Venezuelan government" and described a "historic gold deal" to allow coordinated sales of Venezuelan gold and minerals. Trump also predicted potential negotiated steps on Cuba and said the region must "smash the grip of the cartels and criminal gangs."

A War Department representative who spoke after the president characterized the coalition as "an action coalition of like minded countries" and said the department planned to bring intelligence and capabilities to operations "to attack and get after this cartel challenge." A separate official praised the president for prioritizing the Western Hemisphere.

What happens next: Trump said he would sign a proclamation launching the coalition at the event and invited two officials to speak; the transcript records the announcement and supporting remarks, but it does not record operational details such as legal authorities for cross-border strikes, the specific rules of engagement, or explicit commitments of troops or funding by partner governments. Those details were not specified in the remarks.