US President Donald Trump has announced the creation of a new military coalition aimed at combating powerful criminal gangs and cartels across the Americas, saying the initiative is necessary to restore law and order in the Western Hemisphere.
Speaking at the Shield of Americas Summit on Saturday, Trump said the new alliance, formally called the America’s Counter-Cartel Coalition (ACCC), will deepen military cooperation among regional partners to counter transnational criminal organisations that he described as a growing threat to regional and global security.
About the ongoing strikes on Iran, Trump said it is a “service that we're really providing, not for the Middle East, but for the world,” Trump said during the summit.
The gathering brought together several leaders from the Americas, including Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, and Chilean president-elect Jose Kast.
Speaking at the summit, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said: “The America's Counter Cartel Coalition, the ACCC, will be a force for good, for peace through strength in this hemisphere.”
Trump said the coalition is being launched because large areas of the hemisphere have fallen under the influence of violent criminal networks.
“Leaders in this region have allowed large swaths of territory in the Western Hemisphere to come under the direct control of transnational gangs,” he said. “These brutal criminal organisations pose an unacceptable threat to national security.”
According to Trump, the groups operate through “murder, torture, extortion, drug trafficking, bribery and terror,” and in some cases have developed military capabilities that rival national armed forces.
“In some cases, they say they’re more powerful than the military in the country. Can’t have that,” he said.
Trump said the coalition will expand cooperation between US forces and regional militaries, stressing that conventional law-enforcement tools alone are insufficient to confront organised criminal groups.
“The only way to defeat these enemies is by unleashing the power of our militaries,” he said. “You have to use your military. You can’t fight these people with just the police.”
He added that the US is prepared to support partner nations with a range of capabilities if requested.
“We will do whatever you need if you want,” Trump said, noting that some countries may prefer other approaches but that Washington is ready to assist.
Trump said the “epicentre of cartel violence” in the hemisphere lies in Mexico, accusing criminal groups there of driving instability across the region.
“The Mexican cartels are fuelling and orchestrating much of the bloodshed and chaos in this hemisphere,” he said.
“The United States government will do whatever is necessary to defend our national security and to protect the safety of the American people.”
He also urged regional governments to adopt stricter measures against gang activity.
“The savages who murder and rape with impunity must be permanently removed from society,” Trump said.
