MIAMI, United States
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday warned that the United States could use precision missile strikes against powerful drug cartels if regional governments request assistance, a statement that drew global attention during a security summit with Latin American leaders in South Florida.
Speaking at a gathering of heads of state and senior officials at Trump National Doral in Miami, Trump announced the launch of a new regional security initiative called Shield of the Americas, aimed at coordinating military and intelligence efforts across the Western Hemisphere to combat organized crime networks and drug trafficking groups.
During his remarks, Trump described cartels as a major threat to stability across the Americas and argued that stronger action was necessary to dismantle their operations. He suggested that advanced U.S. military capabilities could be used to target cartel leadership if partner nations requested such support.
“We’ll use missiles if we have to,” Trump told leaders attending the summit, emphasizing that modern precision weapons could strike cartel leaders directly while limiting broader damage.
The summit brought together leaders and representatives from several countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Javier Milei, Nayib Bukele, and Daniel Noboa. The meeting focused primarily on expanding cooperation against transnational criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking, arms smuggling and human trafficking.
Officials said the newly announced coalition could involve intelligence sharing, coordinated law-enforcement operations and potential military support between participating nations. According to organizers, roughly 17 countries expressed support for joining the initiative during its launch phase.
Trump described drug cartels as a “cancer” spreading throughout the region and said the threat required more aggressive responses from governments. He argued that traditional policing alone has not been sufficient to dismantle large criminal networks that operate across national borders.
The remarks come amid an expanded U.S. security strategy targeting drug trafficking routes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. U.S. forces have previously conducted operations against suspected trafficking vessels under the campaign known as Operation Southern Spear, which officials say aims to disrupt cartel logistics networks at sea.
Not all major regional powers participated in the Miami meeting. Countries such as Mexico, Brazil and Colombia were absent, highlighting divisions in approaches toward security cooperation and military involvement in anti-drug operations.
Analysts say Trump’s comments about potential missile strikes represent one of the most forceful statements yet from the administration on confronting organized crime in the Americas, signaling a willingness to treat powerful cartels as security threats rather than purely criminal organizations.
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