A 16-page plan released on Wednesday names narcoterrorists, legacy Islamist militants and violent left-wing extremists as the main threats, with White House counterterrorism chief Sebastian Gorka outlining the shift.
It calls for identifying plots earlier, choking off funding and recruitment, and dismantling networks, potentially widening military, intelligence and law-enforcement tools at home and abroad.
The strategy also criticises intelligence agencies as outdated and politicised, builds on cartel terrorist designations and anti-smuggling operations, and says pressure on Iran and its proxies will continue.
How will labeling drug cartels as terrorists reshape U.S. military operations and foreign policy in Latin America?
After the strike on Iran's leader, what are the greatest risks of asymmetric retaliation against the U.S. and its allies?
Trump Administration’s 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy: Expanding Terrorist Designations to 24 Latin American Cartels Amid Iran Conflict
Overview
In April 2026, the Trump administration launched a broad counterterrorism strategy amid a volatile threat environment worsened by the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. The strategy expanded Foreign Terrorist Organization designations to include Latin American drug cartels and targeted left-wing groups like antifa, despite limited evidence of threats. It prioritized Iran as the top state sponsor of terrorism and demanded greater burden-sharing from allies. The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro exemplified the new assertive approach. However, internal agency strains, leadership controversies, legal challenges, and diplomatic friction have complicated implementation, raising concerns about resource overextension and weakening traditional alliances.