Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday addressed a New York Times report claiming President Donald Trump had signed an order authorizing U.S. military force against drug cartels operating in foreign countries.
Sheinbaum — who previously rejected Trump’s offer for U.S. military assistance against the cartels — said, “The United States is not going to come to Mexico with the military.” She added that U.S. officials had given her advance notice that the directive “was coming.”
Sheinbaum: ‘No Invasion’
“We cooperate, we collaborate, but there is not going to be an invasion,” Sheinbaum said. “That is ruled out, absolutely ruled out. It is not part of any agreement… When it has been brought up, we have always said no.”
She claimed she was assured the order would not include deploying U.S. troops into Mexico. The directive reportedly targets Latin American drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations, though it remains unclear which specific groups will be pursued.
Cartels in U.S. Crosshairs
Most cartels designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. operate in Mexico. The Trump administration has also classified violent transnational gangs such as Tren de Aragua (TdA) and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) as terrorist organizations, along with the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles.
Earlier this year, after pressure from Trump, Sheinbaum deployed hundreds of troops against the Sinaloa Cartel, resulting in significant losses for the group.
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson recently credited “increased collaboration” for a decline in fentanyl seizures in the United States and a rise in seizures in Mexico. “Under President Trump’s and President Sheinbaum’s leadership, cartels are going bankrupt and our countries are safer because of it,” Johnson said.
Trump’s Border Crackdown
Trump has used tariffs and other economic measures to pressure Mexico into assisting with border security and cracking down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
He has also deployed U.S. troops and drones along the southern border, leading to the lowest level of illegal crossings ever recorded by Customs and Border Protection.
