The Trump administration is set to prioritize homeland security and operations in the Western Hemisphere over deterring China, according to a new report.
Politico detailed on Friday in a newsletter that the new strategy, a version of which made it to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's desk last week, also prioritizes the operations above countering Moscow.
"This is going to be a major shift for the U.S. and its allies on multiple continents," one of the people briefed on the document told the outlet. "The old, trusted U.S. promises are being questioned."
The shift may have already begun with the deployment of U.S. assets in the Caribbean to, according to the Trump administration, counter drug-trafficking cartels in the region.
On Tuesday, the administration attacked a vessel coming from Venezuela, killing 11 people on board. The administration has warned it will continue carrying out such strikes, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio anticipating "it will happen again."
Trump is "going to use the full power of America and the full might of the us to take on and eradicate these drug cartels no matter where they're operating from and no matter how long they've been able to act with impunity," Rubio said.
Tensions continued to escalate on Thursday night after two Venezuelan jets flew near a U.S. Navy ship, a move the Pentagon called "highly provocative" and "designated to interfere with our counter narco-terror operations."
"The cartel running Venezuela is strongly advised not to pursue any further effort to obstruct, deter or interfere with counter-narcotics and counter-terror operations carried out by the U.S. military," the department added.
Moreover, on Friday the U.S. began the deployment of 10 fighter jets to a base in Puerto Rico to conduct operations against drug cartels in the region, according to a new report.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that the jets should arrive in the area by late next week.
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