What's Trump's plan for the U.S. security initiative called, 'The Shield of Americas'?

"He said the only way to truly fight the cartels is with the military and that the police are just not enough. And then with these specific leaders, he signed a joint security declaration that encourages military force against the cartels."

"President Trump met with Latin American leaders this morning in Miami and pushed for greater use of the military to fight drug cartels. The President calls it the Shield of the Americas summit. It is also a push against the influence of China throughout Latin America."

President Trump met with Latin American leaders in Miami to promote the Shield of the Americas, a regional coalition focused on combating drug cartels through military force. Trump emphasized that military intervention, rather than police action alone, is necessary to effectively fight cartels, and signed a joint security declaration encouraging military force. The initiative also aims to counter China's influence throughout Latin America. However, several major regional leaders declined to attend, including representatives from the two largest Latin American economies. The Shield of the Americas differs from the traditional Summit of the Americas, which typically includes all Western Hemisphere leaders regardless of political alignment or economic size.

Read at www.npr.org