Trump Directs Pentagon to Prepare Military Options Against Drug Cartels
Trump Directs Pentagon to Prepare Military Options Against Drug Cartels
President Donald Trump has issued a directive ordering the Pentagon to prepare potential options for the use of U.S. military force against drug cartels, which his administration has designated as terrorist organizations. Two U.S. officials confirmed the move to ABC News on Friday, though one emphasized that any deployment of military assets is not imminent.
The scope of the authorization remains unclear, as do the specific military operations being considered. Questions regarding the legality of such actions are anticipated. The New York Times was first to report on Trump’s signed directive.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly stated that “President Trump’s top priority is protecting the homeland, which is why he took the bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.” Speaking on Friday, President Trump reiterated his commitment to protecting the country from drug flow, adding, “we’ll have more to say about that soon.”
In response, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday firmly dismissed the idea of U.S. military intervention on Mexican soil. She stated, “The United States is not going to come to Mexico with the military. We cooperate, we coordinate but there won’t be an invasion… that is ruled out.”
The directive follows the Trump administration’s February designation of groups like Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel, and MS-13 as global terrorist organizations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking on EWTN on Thursday, explained that this designation allows the administration to utilize various elements of American power, including intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense, to target these groups, treating them as armed terrorist organizations rather than just drug dealing entities.
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