The U.S. military is deploying approximately 600 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division to Latin America. The troops will train with regional forces in Panama, Colombia, and Honduras as part of an expanded counter-drug campaign.
The U.S. military is deploying several hundred Army soldiers to Latin America for training and joint exercises with regional forces as the Trump administration expands its campaign against drug-trafficking networks. The deployment involves soldiers from the Army's 10th Mountain Division based at Fort Drum, New York.
According to The New York Times, which first reported the deployment, the first troops from a roughly 600-soldier battalion are expected to deploy to Panama. A senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News that the troops are being forward-staged under U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which will determine where they are ultimately deployed.
The troops will first deploy to a new jungle training facility in Panama before eventually training with local forces in Colombia and Honduras. The unit is expected to later train with forces in Colombia and Honduras and could support U.S. Special Operations troops advising partner militaries on raids against suspected traffickers. Separately, several hundred soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division are expected to help staff a new Western Hemisphere military command based in Miami.
The deployment occurs alongside other military movements in the region. According to Anadolu Agency, citing the New York Times, the deployment follows the recent transfer of several MQ-9 Reaper drones from Africa to Colombia and Ecuador. The report also notes the creation by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of an office to oversee counter-cartel operations.
USA Herald reported that official U.S. military documents show the Pentagon has been building a larger Western Hemisphere military architecture. The Army activated the U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command in December 2025. The Army describes it as an "operational warfighting theater command headquarters" responsible for the Western Hemisphere. SOUTHCOM’s official 2026 Posture Statement disclosed that it established the Joint Security Cooperation Group–Panama, providing opportunities for increased joint exercises and a rotational U.S. military presence at locations including Panama Pacifico International Airport.
Gen. Francis Donovan, commander of SOUTHCOM, previously said the military was considering operations against trafficking networks on land. "Do I see land strikes as options? Yes. We want all options at the table," Donovan said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. He added that the goal was to create "total systemic friction" for the cartels.
Since the campaign began more than a year ago, U.S. forces have conducted dozens of strikes. Anadolu Agency reports that the military has carried out 71 boat strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing at least 239 people it has alleged, without presenting evidence, were traffickers. Fox News states that more than 235 people have been killed.
Adam Isacson at the Washington Office on Latin America research group told The New York Times that he can't recall a US troop deployment to the region "that ever came close to 600, except for contingencies like invasions or natural disasters." Legal experts have called the strikes unlawful, and human rights groups warn that land strikes could raise the risk of civilian casualties. Some senior U.S. officials have voiced concern that the administration has not set out a clear objective, according to the report.
This deployment marks a significant increase in the U.S. military footprint in Latin America, shifting from maritime interdiction to potential land-based operations and training. The establishment of the U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command and the forward-staging of troops in Panama suggest a long-term strategic commitment to counter-drug efforts and regional influence, raising questions about the scope and legality of future operations.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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