Tue Nov 18 05:04:57 UTC 2025: Trump Floats Military Strikes in Mexico to Combat Drug Cartels

Washington D.C. – In a move that could severely strain relations with Mexico, U.S. President Donald Trump has stated he is considering military action within Mexican territory to combat drug cartels. Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Monday, Trump asserted that he has been in communication with Mexico regarding the potential strikes, emphasizing the severity of the drug crisis in the United States.

“Would I launch strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? It’s OK with me. I’ve been speaking to Mexico. They know how I stand,” Trump told reporters. “We’re losing hundreds of thousands of people to drugs. So now we’ve stopped the waterways, but we know every route.”

While Trump did not specify the timing or nature of the proposed strikes, his comments have already drawn strong condemnation. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has previously voiced her opposition to any such intervention.

Experts have raised concerns about the potential implications of unilateral U.S. military action. Jeff Garmany, an associate professor of Latin American studies at the University of Melbourne, told Al Jazeera that there are numerous legal and diplomatic hurdles, but questioned whether Trump would abide by them.

Trump’s remarks follow a recent report by NBC indicating that the White House is exploring a joint operation with U.S. intelligence agencies involving drone strikes against drug labs and cartel members in Mexico. Trump alluded to this, stating, “We know every route. We know the addresses of every drug lord. We know their address. We know their front door. We know everything about every one of them.”

The President has framed the situation as a “war” against cartels responsible for the deaths of “hundreds of thousands” of Americans.

Since retaking office in January, Trump has employed executive orders and legal interpretations to justify military actions against drug cartels without Congressional approval, including designating some cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations.” The White House has launched over 20 strikes on maritime vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific since September, claiming they were transporting drugs.

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