Strikes on Ecuador, Shield of the Americas, and the Trump Corollary
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and President Trump announce the Shield of the Americas, a new multinational effort to use military force to counter drug cartels. Photo courtesy of the White House via screengrab. On March 3, 2026, the United States and Ecuador launched joint military operations targeting drug trafficking organizations the Trump administration has designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, including Los Choneros and