In a bold escalation of his hardline stance on border security, President Donald Trump has turned his sights on Mexico following last week’s dramatic military raid in Venezuela. Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday night, Trump announced plans to extend U.S. operations against drug cartels into Mexican territory, vowing to dismantle the networks flooding America with narcotics and violent criminals.
The announcement comes just days after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a daring raid on his Caracas compound, an operation Trump justified by accusing Maduro’s regime of facilitating drug trafficking. Now, with similar charges leveled at Mexico, the U.S. leader claimed his administration has already neutralized 97% of drugs entering via sea routes in the Caribbean, including strikes on at least 35 cartel boats since September 2025.
‘Mexico is run by the cartels,’ Trump declared, lamenting the plight of a nation he says has been overtaken by criminal syndicates. He accused Mexico of exporting drugs and illegal migrants, many of whom he described as dangerous felons, into the United States. This rhetoric echoes the justifications used for the Venezuela incursion, despite Maduro’s vehement denials.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded swiftly during a Friday press conference, dismissing Trump’s threats as mere bluster. She instructed Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente to engage U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio—and if needed, Trump himself—to reinforce bilateral cooperation. Sheinbaum highlighted ongoing efforts to combat cartels without foreign military intervention.
Tensions have rippled across the region. Mexico’s foreign minister recently condemned the Venezuela raid as a grave threat to Latin American stability. Trump also traded barbs with Colombian President Gustavo Petro post-operation but extended a White House invitation after a de-escalatory phone call on Wednesday, signaling potential diplomatic openings amid the saber-rattling.
As Trump prepares to authorize ground-level strikes, the world watches whether this marks the beginning of a broader U.S. campaign against narco-terrorism south of the border. Critics warn of sovereignty violations and regional backlash, while supporters hail it as decisive action against a scourge that’s claimed countless American lives.