Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Colombia’s new president asked for U.S. collaboration against narco-terrorism

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that the newly inaugurated government of Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has requested U.S. collaboration in joint military operations inside Colombia aimed at combatting “narco-terrorism.” The statement framed the request as a bid to coordinate security activity against armed groups that combine drug trafficking with violence and intimidation.

Hegseth’s remarks tied the planned cooperation to a change in Colombia’s leadership and to the start of the new administration’s anti-drug priorities. He said De la Espriella requested that the United States work with Colombia in operational efforts, reflecting a desire to strengthen bilateral counter-narcotics cooperation through direct military engagement rather than limited support roles.

The Defense Department official did not, in the reported account, specify the form or scope of the collaboration, such as whether U.S. forces would conduct operations alongside Colombian units, provide intelligence and training, or expand existing security support. He also did not lay out a timeline for when any joint activities would begin or what units would be involved.

Colombia has long faced threats from drug trafficking organizations and the security pressures that accompany them, including attacks on civilians, infrastructure, and local institutions in areas where armed groups operate. Against that backdrop, Hegseth’s characterization of the effort as targeting “narco-terrorism” indicates an emphasis on groups that blend trafficking operations with coercive violence.

The reported request comes as both governments seek to translate counter-drug objectives into concrete security action. Any U.S. military role in Colombia would also depend on existing legal authorities and agreements governing foreign assistance and deployments, including safeguards around command relationships, rules for engagement, and oversight mechanisms designed to manage risks to civilians and U.S. personnel.

For Colombia’s incoming government, the request for U.S. collaboration suggests it intends to pursue anti-drug security strategy with greater external backing. For the United States, the posture described by Hegseth would represent a direct intensification of bilateral efforts, potentially increasing coordination requirements between defense agencies and the broader diplomatic and security apparatus involved in cross-border counter-threat planning.

Hegseth did not describe public consultations, funding levels, or legislative steps in the reported account. The next stage, according to the framing of the remarks, would be the process of negotiating operational details between U.S. and Colombian authorities and confirming how joint activities would be structured.

The statement also raises practical questions about how joint operations would be targeted geographically and how success would be measured, particularly in communities affected by armed groups. While the report provides a high-level description of the request, the full public record on authorization, implementation, and safeguards would be expected to emerge as the two governments move from request to planning and execution.