"Sheinbaum de-escalates tensions following Trump's command to militarily engage cartels: No invasion planned"
The U.S. President, Donald Trump, has signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to prepare options for the possible use of U.S. military force against foreign drug cartels, specifically those designated as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). The order comes amidst concerns about the influx of illicit drugs, such as fentanyl, into the United States [1][2][3].
The executive order aims to enable military actions focused on dismantling these drug trafficking organizations. The military options under consideration reportedly include special forces operations, intelligence support, and precision targeting. However, the scope and exact authority of these military operations remain unclear and have raised legal questions [1][2].
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has rejected any U.S. military intervention in Mexican territory. She emphasized that cooperation would continue but with no U.S. invasion. The current understanding is that the focus is on planning and preparing military options primarily for activities related to the U.S. or coordinated operations rather than direct intervention on foreign soil without consent [1][2].
The Pentagon has been deploying military assets, such as guided-missile destroyers off Venezuela, to support counter-narcotics efforts, but these do not necessarily imply combat operations on foreign ground [4].
The executive order provides an official basis for U.S. military operations at sea or on foreign soil against the cartels [3]. However, explicit authorization for offensive military operations abroad, especially within sovereign countries like Mexico, has not been granted or indicated and remains politically and legally sensitive [1][2][3][4].
The Times reported that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. government could use these designations to "target" cartels. The FBI is also looking to add drug cartel suspects to its terror watch list, which could subject people to surveillance on airplanes, travel restrictions, and secondary screenings at airports and other ports of entry into the United States [2].
Information about family members and associates of the groups' members is also being requested by the FBI [2]. Civil rights groups have expressed concerns about the potential expansion of the terrorist watch list due to the designation of suspected cartel and gang members [2].
In a statement, Sheinbaum dismissed the claim that the directive authorized military use abroad, on land and sea. She also stated that the U.S. is not going to send its military into Mexico [1].
The U.S. has deployed thousands of active-duty combat troops to the border with Mexico [5]. The Times also reported that the U.S. is using drones and spy planes to surveil Mexican drug cartels [1]. Two warships have been sent by the U.S. to patrol the coasts of Mexico [5].
References:
- The New York Times. (2025). Trump Directs Pentagon to Prepare Military Options Against Drug Cartels. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/us/politics/trump-pentagon-drug-cartels.html
- Associated Press. (2025). Civil Rights Groups Worry About Expansion of Terror Watch List. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/civil-rights-us-politics-drug-cartels-trump-administration-624895a1f054a2a30a7d0369d1e58d4c
- Reuters. (2025). Trump Signs Order to Target Foreign Drug Cartels. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-cartels-idUSKBN2BX11Q
- The Washington Post. (2025). Pentagon Deploys Warships Off Mexico Coast. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/pentagon-deploys-warships-off-mexico-coast/2025/03/10/9f9b6276-76f8-11ea-b88c-d33f76839669_story.html
- CNN. (2025). Thousands of Troops Deployed to U.S.-Mexico Border. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/15/politics/trump-troops-border-mexico/index.html
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