What Is ‘Shield Of The Americas’? Trump Meets Latin American Leaders To Take On Cartels

Last Updated:March 07, 2026, 18:10 IST

President Trump will host the Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral, Florida. Leaders from 12 Latin American countries will attend to address regional security issues.

US President Donald Trump is set to host leaders from across Latin America at the first Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral, Florida, on Saturday, with former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem serving as special envoy for the initiative.

What Is the Shield of the Americas?

The Shield of the Americas is a new US-led regional security initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation between the United States and allied governments in the Western Hemisphere. The programme focuses on tackling drug cartels, illegal migration, and organised crime, while expanding intelligence sharing and security coordination across participating countries.

Officials say the initiative reflects Trump’s broader foreign policy approach toward Latin America, often described as the “Donroe Doctrine," which emphasises stronger American influence and security leadership in the region.

Leaders Attending the Summit

According to the White House, leaders from 12 countries are expected to attend the summit, including:

• Argentina President Javier Milei
• Bolivia President Rodrigo Paz Pereira
• Chile President-elect José Antonio Kast
• Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves Robles
• Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader
• Ecuador President Daniel Noboa
• El Salvador President Nayib Bukele
• Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali
• Honduras President Nasry “Tito" Asfura
• Panama President José Raúl Mulino
• Paraguay President Santiago Peña
• Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Goals of the Meeting

The White House says the summit will focus on developing joint strategies to combat narco-terrorist cartels and curb illegal migration, while strengthening regional security cooperation.

Trump is also expected to highlight a new joint security declaration reaffirming the commitment of the United States and partner nations to promote peace, sovereignty and stability across the Western Hemisphere.

The meeting will bring together senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, alongside heads of state from several Latin American nations.

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