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President Trump signed a new counterterrorism strategy focusing on hemispheric threats and also made remarks regarding Iran, including the possibility of a deal and the acquisition of enriched uranium. During this period, he also hosted UFC fighters in the Oval Office.
A senior US lawmaker has called on Peru's future government to reclaim the Chinese-controlled deepwater port of Chancay, describing it as a direct military threat to the Western Hemisphere and offering US assistance.
Kristi Noem's visit to Latin America is highlighted as a significant move signaling a new US national security strategy, dubbed 'The Shield of the Americas,' aimed at evolving the U.S. approach in the Western Hemisphere.
The US military is monitoring 23 Chinese port projects and 12 space-enabling facilities across Latin America and considers every one of them “a potential dual-use asset” that could support Chinese military operations, the top US commander for South America told Congress on Tuesday. General Francis Donovan, head of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), made the disclosure during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on US military posture in the western hemisphere. Asked by Lance Gooden, a...
U.S. President Trump, emphasizing the importance of the Western Hemisphere, stressed at a meeting with leaders of Latin American countries the need to cooperate in excluding the influence of adversarial forces, such as China, and in combating drug trafficking.
Havana is under an American blockade, and Cuba's ambassador to Romania claims the US is exerting significant pressure to 'bring them to their knees' and force a change in the Western Hemisphere, especially after the arrest of Venezuela's leader and Cuba's continued ties with Russia and China.
US Military Blows Up 3 Alleged Drug Boats, Killing 11, After Lull Since January The Pentagon's whole anti-narco boat operations fell relatively silent for the past more than a month in the wake of the January 3rd US military raid on Venezuela to overthrow the Maduro government. Surely there was still drug trafficking off Latin America, but with 'mission accomplished' in Caracas the public PR 'anti-drug' pretext was no longer needed, apparently. But suddenly, this week, the US military has begun its strikes on alleged drug boats again, with US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) on Tuesday having announced its forces launched drone assaults on three alleged drug smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean on Monday. In total eleven people were killed in the renewed operation. "Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations," SOUTHCOM said Tuesday in a post to X. Illustrative narco-boats file, via X. The military statements said the three boats were allegedly "operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations." The post further referred to those killed as "male narco-terrorists," detailing that eight were killed on two boats in the eastern Pacific - or the Western side of Latin America - and three were killed on a boat in the Caribbean. No American forces were harmed, the post said, in the assault conducted at the direction of Marine Corps Gen. Francis Donovan, who serves as the commander of Southern Command. War (Defense) Secretary Pete Hegseth celebrated the fresh strikes in a post on X, writing, "Turns out President’s Day — under President Trump — is not a good day to run drugs." For all the momentary celebrations at the Pentagon, the supposed 'war on drugs' will be circular and never-ending, as it's been over the past many decades, spanning presidencies. But this is really about American influence and 'ownership' of the region and total dominance of the Western hemisphere. From Vietnam to Iraq to Libya to Syria to Iran, Washington is always looking for some kind of casus belli - even if it has to be manufactured - to sell war to the American people. Turns out President’s Day — under President Trump — is not a good day to run drugs. https://t.co/8c5wMmQbQ2 February 17, 2026 Going back several years, the single biggest sources of the world's fentanyl trade have been consistently identified as China and Mexico. At this point it's impossible to know, and hasn't been disclosed, whether any of the well over 25 boats blown up by US military action off Latin America since September were actually loaded with fentanyl, or in what quantities. Tyler Durden Tue, 02/17/2026 - 19:40
The Trump administration has announced an expansion of its visa restriction policy to include more countries in the Western Hemisphere. The policy aims to deny visas to individuals supporting adversaries of the United States.
Activist short-seller Grizzly Research has targeted the Swedish company Sinch, accusing it of being the "largest enabler of phone fraud in the entire Western Hemisphere," an accusation Sinch has not yet commented on.
An analysis suggests that Russia may be growing weary of financially supporting Cuba, yet remains in need of allies in the Western Hemisphere, highlighting the complex dynamics of their long-standing relationship.
"Serve Your Country": Uncle Sam Seeks Investment Bankers For 'Economic Defense Unit' The Department of War is reportedly building a 30-person investment banking team, called the "Economic Defense Unit," to deploy $200 billion in private equity over three years into defense companies and, more importantly, war unicorns, as the race to secure the Western Hemisphere and counter China, Russia, and Iran intensifies in the Trump era. Seamfor reviewed a slide deck from the headhunting...
Trump announces new military coalition to 'eradicate cartels' in Western Hemisphere Reuters
Marco Rubio is attending a regional summit to emphasize the Trump administration’s focus on the Western Hemisphere even as conflict in the Middle East looms.
Trump's Homeland Security Task Force reported over 500 arrests in January, targeting cartels, gangs, and smuggling rings, with the president likening cartels to the 'ISIS of the Western Hemisphere'.
The U.S. has expanded its visa ban policy to target individuals in the Western Hemisphere who support foreign adversaries and undermine American interests.
New observations suggest that Utah's Great Salt Lake, the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, may not be as salty as previously thought.
Joseph M. Humire, acting assistant secretary of war for homeland defense, detailed the Trump administration's strategy for the Western Hemisphere, focusing on combating narco-terror and confronting China and other adversaries.
China's Foreign Minister asserts that Latin American and Caribbean countries have the right to independently choose their cooperation partners, responding to former President Trump's claims about foreign forces establishing a foothold in the Western Hemisphere.
Stephen Colbert railed against Kristi Noem after Donald Trump’s surprise announcement that he had fired the Secretary of Homeland Defense, with plans to replace her with Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Trump announced that Noem would be “moving to be Special Envoy in the Western Hemisphere.” “Sounds like someone’s about to become the FIFA […]
The US president has assured that he will help save Utah's Great Salt Lake, which has recorded historic low water levels and has more than half of its bed exposed.