President Donald Trump is delivering a blunt message to countries in the Western Hemisphere: Cooperate in dismantling cartel networks and limiting hostile foreign influence or face a tougher U.S. response, Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism, told Newsmax on Tuesday.
Speaking on "Bianca Across the Nation," Gorka discussed Trump's meeting with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, which he described as optimistic but strained by prior tensions over immigration enforcement and foreign policy disputes.
"The way ahead is very clear for all of these nations," Gorka said, framing the administration's posture as a response to deadly fentanyl and other narcotics flows.
He cited a comparison between overdose deaths and U.S. military fatalities in past wars to underscore the stakes.
"In one year of [former President Joe] Biden's open border regime, more people — 110,000 — were killed by the cartels," said Gorka.
Trump, along with War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Department of Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, is escalating pressure on cartels and warning regional governments not to "host those entities," he added.
The administration's posture is guided by a newly released national security strategy, which he described as a reset of U.S. policy in the hemisphere, Gorka continued.
"I'm going to quote the president," Gorka said. "And he said very, very clearly this is the new Monroe Doctrine … which means what happens in our backyard is of immediate relevance to the safety of all Americans."
He said the strategy extends beyond drugs to limiting the influence of hostile actors in Venezuela, naming Iran, Hezbollah, Russia, and China as threats the administration will not tolerate operating in the region.
Gorka also addressed Trump's recent comments on negotiations with Iran, saying the administration prefers a deal but is prepared to act militarily if talks collapse.
He referenced U.S. involvement in the June 2025 operation "Midnight Hammer," describing it as "absolutely textbook" and contrasting it with Israel's "Operation Rising Lion."
"If you want to work with us, then work with us," Gorka said of Iran's leadership. "But if you don't, that clip was very clear."
"Woe betide you, and we will come down on you like the hammers of hell, as we already did with 'Midnight Hammer.'"
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