Washington, United States – President Donald Trump announced that the United States will begin ground attacks against drug cartels, following recent maritime operations in the Pacific and Caribbean. He made these comments during a Fox News interview on Thursday evening.
“We are now going to start attacking the cartels by land. The cartels are controlling Mexico,” said Trump. “It is very, very sad to see what has happened in that country.”
Mexico has increased cooperation with the United States at the border and extradited dozens of cartel leaders in 2025. However, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly stated her opposition to any form of military intervention in her country.
After an attack in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Trump noted he had offered assistance to Sheinbaum several times to combat the cartels, but she has consistently declined.
Earlier this summer, the United States deployed significant military resources in the Caribbean and bombed vessels from Venezuela as part of anti-narcotics efforts. The legality of these operations has been questioned by experts, non-governmental organizations, and United Nations officials.
In late December, Trump said that U.S. forces had destroyed a trafficking zone used by boats allegedly involved in narcotics smuggling from Venezuela.
