Mexico has categorically ruled out any possibility of US military operations on its soil following reports that President Donald Trump secretly authorized the Pentagon to target Latin American drug cartels. In a strong statement on Friday, President Claudia Sheinbaum declared, “The United States is not going to come to Mexico with the military. We co-operate, we collaborate, but there is not going to be an invasion. That is ruled out, absolutely ruled out.” The remarks came in response to a New York Times report revealing that Trump had signed a directive potentially enabling military action against cartels on foreign soil, including in Mexico.
The White House did not directly address the reported directive when questioned by the BBC, instead reiterating that Trump’s “top priority is protecting the homeland.” However, the move appears linked to an earlier executive order designating eight major drug cartels as terrorist organizations, six of which are based in Mexico. Sheinbaum emphasized that while her government was aware of the order, it explicitly excluded any foreign military involvement. “It is not part of any agreement, far from it. When it has been brought up, we have always said ‘No,’” she stated.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the terrorist designation for cartels, arguing it would enable stronger actions through US intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense. “We have to start treating them as armed terrorist organizations, not simply drug dealing organizations,” Rubio said. The New York Times report suggested the directive could pave the way for direct military strikes against cartel operations, both at sea and on foreign soil.
However, Sheinbaum has long resisted such measures, warning earlier this year that the terrorist label should not be used as a pretext for violating Mexican sovereignty. “This cannot be an opportunity for the US to invade our sovereignty,” she told reporters in January.
US-Mexico Security Collaboration Shows Mixed Results Amid Tensions
Despite the friction over military intervention, bilateral efforts to combat drug trafficking and illegal migration have seen recent successes. Data from US Customs and Border Protection showed border crossings hit record lows in June, while fentanyl seizures dropped by more than half, according to US Ambassador Ronald Johnson. In a social media post, Johnson praised the Sheinbaum-Trump partnership, claiming cartels were “going bankrupt” and both nations were safer as a result.
Yet, the latest reports of a potential military escalation threaten to strain US-Mexico relations, with Sheinbaum’s administration firmly rejecting any armed intervention.
