Trump Hosts 'Shield of the Americas' Summit in Miami

President Trump gathers Latin American leaders at his golf club to discuss U.S. foreign policy focus on the Western Hemisphere.

Mar. 7, 2026 at 10:09am

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President Donald Trump is set to host a summit of Latin American leaders at his Trump National Doral Miami golf club, dubbed the 'Shield of the Americas' summit. The gathering comes as the administration looks to demonstrate its continued commitment to sharpening U.S. foreign policy focus on the Western Hemisphere, even as it deals with global crises. The summit will feature leaders from over a dozen countries, though notable absences include Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia.

Why it matters

The summit is part of Trump's effort to reassert U.S. dominance in the region and push back on what he sees as years of Chinese economic encroachment in America's backyard. It also comes after the U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the U.S. decision to join Israel in launching a war on Iran.

The details

The idea for the summit emerged from the scrapped 10th edition of the Summit of the Americas, which the Dominican Republic had postponed due to 'deep differences' in the region. The Shield of the Americas moniker is meant to speak to Trump's 'America First' foreign policy vision for the region that leverages U.S. military and intelligence assets. However, the summit will be missing the region's two dominant powers - Brazil and Mexico - as well as Colombia, a key U.S. ally in the drug war.

  • The summit is scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2026.
  • Trump is also set to travel to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, on the same day to be present for the dignified transfer of six U.S. troops killed in a drone strike in Kuwait.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who is hosting the 'Shield of the Americas' summit at his golf club in Miami.

Nicolás Maduro

The Venezuelan President who was recently captured in a U.S. military operation and is being brought to the U.S. to face drug conspiracy charges.

Kristi Noem

The former Department of Homeland Security secretary who Trump has named as his special envoy for the Shield of the Americas summit.

Luis Abinader

The President of the Dominican Republic who had previously postponed the Summit of the Americas due to 'deep differences' in the region.

Pete Hegseth

The U.S. Defense Secretary who spoke to regional leaders and defense ministers this week about countering drug cartels.

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What they’re saying

“Under previous leaders, we grew obsessed with every other theater and every other border in the world except our own. These elites reduced our power and presence in this hemisphere, opting for a benign neglect that was anything but benign.”

— Pete Hegseth, U.S. Defense Secretary (wbal.com)

“The first Summit of the Americas, with 34 nations and a carefully negotiated comprehensive agenda for regional competitiveness, projected inclusion, consensus and optimism. The hastily convened Shield of the Americas mini-summit conjures a crouched defensiveness, with only a dozen or so attendees huddled around a single dominant figure.”

— Richard Feinberg, Professor Emeritus, University of California-San Diego (wbal.com)

What’s next

Trump is scheduled to travel to Beijing later this month to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the issue of Chinese influence in the Western Hemisphere is likely to be a key topic of discussion.

The takeaway

The Shield of the Americas summit represents Trump's effort to reassert U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere and counter what he sees as growing Chinese economic and political influence in the region. However, the absence of major regional powers like Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia highlights the challenges the U.S. faces in rallying support for a more muscular, 'America First' approach in America's backyard.