WASHINGTON, October 24. /TASS/. The United States intends to counteract the influence of Russia, China and Iran in the Latin American countries, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters.
"We're definitely keeping our eyes on near peer adversaries. But we think sending a message on these cartels, these narco terrorists, is important inside our hemisphere, which for far too long other presidents, as the President pointed out, have ignored our own backyard and allowed other countries to increase their influence here, which only threatens the American people," he said when asked about the opposition of Russia, China and Iran in the region.
In early September, Politico newspaper, quoting excerpts from a new US National Defense Strategy, being prepared by the Pentagon, reported that Washington plans to refocus from deterring Russia and China to ensuring the defense of its continental part, as well as security in the Western hemisphere.
The previous unclassified version was published in October 2022 by the former US administration headed by President Joe Biden. It said that the United States would try to contain Russia, which poses an immediate threat to the world order and attempt to gain the upper hand in competition with China.