The Pentagon has officially ended its controversial Southern Spear counter-drug operation, standing up a new task force with a broader mandate across the Western Hemisphere. The change took effect at midnight Monday, with Joint Task Force-Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) assuming the mission previously handled by Southern Spear.
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced the transition on X, framing it as a move to “build on a legacy of excellence to secure the region and defeat all threats.” In a video accompanying the post, SOUTHCOM chief Gen. Francis L. Donovan praised the outgoing unit’s performance, saying it “has executed all operations with precision, professionalism, and lethality.”
Donovan described JTF-WHEM as “the action arm of Southern Command and of the nation,” adding that the command is “now changing the game.” In a separate video, he said the new force is “organized to take the fight against all threats in the Western Hemisphere and specifically to our homeland along with our partners and America’s Counter Cartel Coalition,” noting that 18 countries back the mission.
The transition comes after nearly a year of Operation Southern Spear, which cost the Pentagon roughly $820 million. During that time, U.S. forces fired on at least 67 vessels, resulting in at least 221 deaths. The operation has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and human rights groups, who argue the military has not provided public proof that targeted boats were actually carrying drugs and that the strikes amount to extrajudicial killings.
Even Gen. Donovan acknowledged the limits of the approach. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee in March, he said the strikes are “probably not the most effective tool” for stopping drug flows and “aren’t the answer.” He noted that boat interdictions are just one element of a broader strategy to disrupt cartel networks, some of which the U.S. has designated as terrorist organizations.
Criticism has also come from within the Drug Enforcement Administration, which found that the deadly strikes have done little to reduce the amount of cocaine entering the United States, according to a recent Washington Post report. President Trump, however, has repeatedly claimed that maritime drug trafficking into the U.S. has dropped by 97 or 98 percent as a result of the strikes.
The new task force is expected to continue similar interdiction efforts but with a more region-wide focus, potentially including cooperation with allied nations. The shift also comes as the administration pushes a hard line on cartels, including tough talk on international threats and military family initiatives.
Observers note that the rebranding may be an attempt to address political fallout while maintaining operational continuity. “It’s a classic bureaucratic move—change the name, widen the mission, and hope the criticism fades,” said one defense analyst who asked not to be identified.
As JTF-WHEM takes over, questions remain about transparency and accountability. Human rights advocates have called for independent investigations into the deaths caused by Southern Spear, and for strict rules of engagement to prevent future civilian casualties. The Pentagon has not yet released detailed criteria for when force may be used under the new task force.
