President Donald J. Trump issued an official proclamation on March 7, 2026, marking a significant escalation in U.S. efforts to dismantle criminal cartels and foreign terrorist organizations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
The order formally directs the federal government to use any necessary resources and legal authorities to destroy these groups, which the administration describes as entities that “control territories and commerce” and “field military capabilities.”
Central to this new strategy is the creation of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition. Established by the Secretary of War, this coalition includes military leaders and representatives from 17 different countries.
The White House stated that this partnership is designed to “operationalize hard power” against transnational gangs and cartels that have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. According to the proclamation, the coalition intends to deprive these groups of territorial control, financial backing, and the resources required to conduct violent campaigns.
The directive places a heavy emphasis on military cooperation, asserting that the United States will “train and mobilize partner nation militaries” to create a more effective fighting force.
The goal is to strip these organizations of their ability to export violence or use intimidation to influence political and judicial systems. President Trump noted that the U.S. has already dedicated “unprecedented resources” to these efforts, framing the move as a defense of both national security and regional civilization.
In addition to targeting local criminal networks, the proclamation addresses broader geopolitical concerns, stating that the U.S. and its allies will work to keep “malign foreign influences” from outside the Western Hemisphere at bay.
The document concludes with a clear mandate that these criminal organizations “should be demolished to the fullest extent possible consistent with applicable law.”
“My Administration has designated a number of cartels and transnational gangs as foreign terrorist organizations and has since dedicated unprecedented resources towards their destruction,” the President stated in the proclamation.
He further emphasized that the region is now ready to take collective action, noting the 17-country pledge serves as proof that “the region is ready to operationalize hard power to defeat these threats.”
READ: Lethal Fronts: U.S. And Ecuador Launch Joint Narco-Terror Strikes On Land And Sea
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