Trump says Western Hemisphere must control its own energy, rare earths

US President Donald Trump told Latin American nations Tuesday that the Western Hemisphere's energy supplies, rare earths and other critical resources must not fall under the influence of outside powers.

Trump made the remarks at the Shield of the Americas event held at UN headquarters in New York, a security cooperation forum for Latin America that Washington leads. "The resources of the Americas should always belong to the people of the Americas," he said.

"We must secure control over our own energy pipelines, rare earth minerals and agricultural trade routes," Trump said. "The United States wants to work actively with you to achieve this goal and make all of our nations strong."

Trump also pointed to the vast natural resources held by Shield of the Americas member states. "We cannot allow hostile outside forces to take them away," he said. "If that happens, you will no longer have a country."

Trump's emphasis on control over strategic resources — and his reference to "hostile outside forces" — was widely read as a move to counter China's growing influence in Latin America.

The Shield of the Americas is a security cooperation body Trump launched in March to coordinate a joint response to transnational criminal organizations, including drug cartels, in Latin America. Member states include Argentina, Ecuador and other countries with close ties to Washington.

By extending the forum's agenda beyond cartel-fighting to cover energy, critical minerals and agricultural supply chains, Trump appeared to be laying the groundwork for transforming the Shield of the Americas into a broader economic and security framework for the Western Hemisphere.

Trump doubled down on his pledge to dismantle drug cartels, telling member states: "You can take them out yourselves — that's much better. But if you can't, we will do it for you."

He also told the assembled leaders that their countries had undergone a major transformation. "There has been a big change in your countries — a big move to the right," he said. "That is a good thing."

The remark appeared to refer to the wave of right-wing governments that have come to power across Latin America since Trump began his second term, including in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica and Honduras.