President Donald Trump is pushing Mexico to let the U.S. military play a bigger role in fighting drug cartels. This was revealed in a report by The Wall Street Journal, which said that a phone call between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on April 16 turned tense. Trump urged for U.S. military involvement, but Sheinbaum was not open to allowing direct military actions against the cartels on Mexican soil.
Fighting drug cartels has been a major focus for Trump, especially in his efforts to secure the southern U.S. border and combat the flow of fentanyl into the country. He has expressed a desire to "wage war on the cartels" and has even designated some of them as foreign terrorist organizations. Following his call with Sheinbaum, Trump mentioned on Fox News that Mexico is quite fearful of these cartels, stating, “We want to help her. We want to help Mexico, because you can’t run a country like that.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has highlighted the significant reach of Mexican cartels like Sinaloa and Jalisco into U.S. communities. These organizations are known for their extensive drug trafficking networks, which include both wholesale distributors and street dealers who often create dangerous drug mixtures and use social media to sell their products.
In response to Trump’s designation of cartels as terrorist groups, Sheinbaum has called for constitutional reforms to safeguard Mexico’s sovereignty. She firmly stated that the Mexican people will not accept any foreign actions that threaten their country’s integrity or independence. This includes any military interventions or violations of Mexican territory.
The Trump administration has reportedly considered using drone strikes against cartels in Mexico. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, indicated earlier this year that the administration would utilize all available government resources to combat these organizations, stating, “We’re not just going to attack them on the southern border, we’re going to attack them across the globe.”
In addition to military cooperation, Trump is also negotiating a trade deal with Mexico. Earlier this year, he imposed a 25% tariff on Mexican goods, urging the country to take stronger measures against fentanyl trafficking. In response to this pressure, Sheinbaum agreed to deploy 10,000 troops to the Mexican border.
This complex situation highlights the ongoing challenges both countries face in addressing the drug crisis and the influence of powerful cartels.