U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday urged Latin American nations to use military force against drug cartels and even offered U.S. missile strikes to help eliminate cartel leaders during a regional security summit in Doral.
Speaking at the Shield of the Americas Summit, Trump described drug cartels as a “cancer” spreading across the Western Hemisphere and called on governments to respond with stronger military action.
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“We’re working with you to do whatever we have to do. We’ll use missiles. You want us to use a missile? They’re extremely accurate,” Trump told leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean gathered at his golf club near Miami.
Imitating the sound of a missile launch, he added: “‘Piu,’ right into the living room. That’s the end of that cartel person.”
New Anti-Cartel Coalition
During the summit, Trump formally launched a 17-nation anti-cartel alliance, called the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, which the White House described as a commitment by participating governments to use “hard power” to combat organised crime.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen U.S. influence and security cooperation across Latin America and the Caribbean, where cartel violence and organised crime have escalated in recent years.
Trump argued that the only effective way to defeat criminal networks was through coordinated military action.
“The only way to defeat these enemies is by unleashing the power of our militaries,” he said.
Regional Leaders Attend Summit
Among the leaders attending the gathering were:
- Javier Milei
- Daniel Noboa
- Nayib Bukele
Several of the leaders posted photos with Trump on social media following the meeting, expressing support for tougher action against organised crime.
Noboa wrote that for too long criminal groups had operated without consequences across borders in the region.
Broader Geopolitical Messaging
Trump also used the summit to promote a more aggressive U.S. foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere. While discussing regional security, he declared that Cuba was “in its last moments of life,” repeating earlier warnings that major political change could soon come to the island.
The remarks came as the United States is simultaneously engaged in a military conflict with Iran, which Trump referenced while outlining his administration’s global security posture.
Rising Security Concerns in Latin America
Security analysts say the influence of drug cartels has grown in several parts of Latin America, including countries previously considered relatively stable such as Ecuador and Chile.
According to experts, the growing threat of organised crime has helped drive stronger support for tougher law-and-order policies and military crackdowns in parts of the region.
Trump’s proposal to use U.S. missiles against cartel leaders, however, is likely to spark debate over sovereignty, regional stability, and the role of American military power in Latin America.
