U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio surprised attendees at the Shield of the Americas Summit when he switched to Spanish to deliver President Donald Trump’s message directly to leaders from across Latin America.
Speaking at Trump National Doral, Rubio told the president, “We don’t need an interpreter for this one,” before addressing the room in fluent Spanish. The moment, captured on video and shared by the White House, quickly circulated across social media.
Trump watched from the audience as Rubio translated and expanded on the administration’s message to representatives from roughly a dozen countries attending the summit.
The event was part of the administration’s new regional initiative known as the Shield of the Americas, aimed at strengthening cooperation across the Western Hemisphere on security, migration, and economic issues.
Following Rubio’s remarks, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also addressed the gathering and joked about language differences, saying he “only speaks American.” Rubio later responded humorously that he speaks Cuban.
Observers at the summit noted the friendly tone between Rubio and the visiting heads of state. According to participants, the secretary emphasized that partnership with the United States benefits both sides.
During the event, Trump also signed a proclamation establishing the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, a multinational effort aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks and countering foreign influence in the region.
After the signing ceremony, Trump departed for Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to receive the remains of six U.S. service members killed during the recent conflict with Iran.
Rubio remained at the summit to host a working lunch with the attending leaders and introduced former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in her new role as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas initiative.
Rubio told the leaders that Noem would play a key role in maintaining close coordination with participating countries, promising that they would see frequent engagement from her office in the months ahead.
