Shield of the Americas: What to know about summit, Kristi Noem's new role

Trump, Rubio, Hegseth on "Shields of the Americas"

President Trump announces, a new Western Hemisphere security initiative called The Shield of the Americas alongside Sec. Rubio & Sec. Hegseth. Earlier this week, Trump announced that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem will be replaced at Homeland Security and reassigned as Special Envoy for the new program. Noem is expected to speak later today.

President Trump is hosting Latin American leaders at his golf resort near Miami Saturday for a summit dubbed the Shield of the Americas.

Speaking at the summit, Trump encouraged regional leaders gathered at his Miami-area golf club to take military action against drug trafficking cartels and transnational gangs that he says pose an "unacceptable threat" to the hemisphere’s national security.

"The only way to defeat these enemies is by unleashing the power of our militaries," Trump said. "We have to use our military. You have to use your military." Citing the U.S.-led coalition that confronted the Islamic State group in the Middle East, the Republican president said that "we must now do the same thing to eradicate the cartels at home."

The event is part of Trump’s pledge to reassert U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere. But he won’t be at the summit for long: Trump is set to fly to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, to be on hand for the dignified transfer of the six U.S. troops killed in a drone strike a day after the U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump stands with (L-R) Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, Rodrigo Paz Pereira, President of Bolivia, Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador, Javier Milei, President of Argentina, José Raúl Mulino, President of

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What is the Shield of the Americas?

The Shield of the Americas moniker is meant to speak to Trump’s vision for an "America First" foreign policy toward the region that leverages U.S. military and intelligence assets, administration officials said. 

What they're saying:

"The United States will welcome our strongest likeminded allies in our hemisphere to promote freedom, security, and prosperity in our region," the State Department said in a statement. "This historic coalition of nations will work together to advance strategies that stop foreign interference in our hemisphere, criminal and narco-terrorist gangs and cartels, and illegal and mass immigration." 

The leaders of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago confirmed their participation in the gathering. 

Trump "Shield of the America's" remarks

President Trump will announce today, a new Western Hemisphere security initiative called The Shield of the Americas. Earlier this week, Trump announced that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem will be replaced at Homeland Security and reassigned as Special Envoy for the new program. Peter Brown, Former Homeland Security Advisor weighs in. 

Notably missing at the event are the region’s two dominant powers — Brazil and Mexico — as well as Colombia, long the linchpin of U.S. anti-narcotics strategy in the region.

RELATED: Trump hints at 'friendly takeover' of Cuba

Cuba is also absent from the summit as Trump hints at a potential U.S. takeover or military action against the communist island nation in coming months. 

The summit and Trump’s remarks about Cuba come just two months after Trump ordered a U.S. military operation to capture Venezuela’s then-president, Nicolás Maduro, and extradite him to the United States to face drug conspiracy charges.

Noem confirmed as 1st special envoy for The Shield

Dig deeper:

Kristi Noem, who was confirmed as the first special envoy for The Shield of the Americas on Thursday, said she would be attending the summit. 

Speaking in Nashville, Noem said Trump would announce "a big agreement" that will detail "how we’re going to go after cartels and drug trafficking in the entire Western Hemisphere."

RELATED: Trump removes Kristi Noem from Homeland Security post

The summit comes on the heels of Noem’s removal as homeland security secretary after she faced grilling from both parties on Capitol Hill. 

"The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at ‘Homeland,’" Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social.

Noem leaves DHS, will now work to ‘dismantle cartels’

LiveNOW’s Andy Mac is speaking with Sophia Cai, a White House reporter at POLITICO and co-author of West Wing Playbook, as we hear Kristi Noem is leaving her current position at the Department of Homeland Security. President Donald Trump said he’s replacing Noem with Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin. Noem is the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump’s second term. 

Later Noem acknowledged her new role on social media, stating, "Thank you @POTUS Trump for appointing me as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. @SecRubio and @SecWar are incredible leaders and I look forward to working with them closely to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and grandchildren."

​​She continued: "The Western Hemisphere is absolutely critical for U.S. security. In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security. We have made historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security to make America safe again: we delivered the MOST secure border in American history, 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S., we have located 145,000 children, FEMA delivered disaster relief at a 100% faster rate, we ushered in the golden age of travel, saved the American taxpayer $13 billion and revitalized the U.S. Coast Guard."

Trump nominated Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem as homeland security secretary.