May 6, 2026

Trump Administration Prioritizes Elimination of Western Hemisphere Drug Cartels in New Counterterrorism Strategy

President Trump has signed a new counterterrorism strategy prioritizing the elimination of drug cartels in the Western Hemisphere as the administration's highest priority.
The strategy emphasizes that drug cartels pose a greater threat to American lives than foreign conflicts, with far more U.S. deaths attributed to cartel violence.
The administration plans to enhance military and intelligence operations against cartels while also targeting violent political groups and preventing nonstate actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.