Trinidad and Tobago has joined a newly established U.S.-led military task force aimed at strengthening regional efforts to combat drug cartels and other transnational criminal organizations operating across the Western Hemisphere. The initiative is expected to enhance intelligence sharing, operational coordination and security cooperation among participating countries.
The U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) this week activated the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM), a new headquarters responsible for coordinating multinational military operations with trusted allies and partners, including the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF). The task force is designed to maintain sustained pressure on drug trafficking networks and other criminal groups that threaten regional security.
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According to SOUTHCOM, the task force will integrate intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, operational planning and multinational coordination to improve collaboration among participating countries, accelerate decision-making and increase the pace of joint operations against organized crime.
JTF-WHEM will operate alongside the 18-nation Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC), also known as “Shield of the Americas,” which was launched earlier this year to strengthen regional cooperation against drug trafficking and organized crime. Trinidad and Tobago is among the coalition’s participating nations.
SOUTHCOM Commander General Francis L. Donovan described the new task force as the command’s “action arm” for confronting security threats across the hemisphere, saying it will strengthen cooperation with partner nations while applying sustained pressure on criminal networks that undermine regional stability.
The new headquarters replaces the Joint Task Force Southern Spear, which coordinated similar multinational anti-narcotics operations throughout 2025. Officials say the new structure is intended to provide a more permanent and coordinated framework for countering transnational criminal organizations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
While Trinidad and Tobago’s government has not outlined the specific role the TTDF will play, security analysts say participation in the task force could improve the country’s access to intelligence, surveillance capabilities and regional security partnerships as it continues efforts to combat drug trafficking, arms smuggling and organized crime.
The announcement comes as Caribbean governments continue to strengthen cross-border cooperation in response to the growing influence of transnational criminal organizations. Officials say closer military and intelligence coordination is expected to enhance regional security while disrupting trafficking routes used by organized crime networks.
