Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States could redeploy some military resources from Europe to Central and South America to expand operations against drug trafficking. He frames the move as part of a broader effort to increase the U.S. military footprint in the Western Hemisphere alongside partner nations.

Multiple outlets report that Hegseth links the potential shift to expanding counter-narcotics activities in South America under the Trump administration. The coverage also points to timing and planning considerations, including an ongoing posture review that would conclude in December and is associated with European burden-sharing expectations. While the reports broadly agree on the direction of the shift, they differ in emphasis: one focuses on the idea of removing troops from Europe, another stresses redeployment of some service members, and others describe a possible realignment of units or capabilities. All accounts present it as a potential change rather than a finalized decision, describing what Hegseth indicated publicly.