Mexico Rejects U.S. Military Presence Amid Reports of Trump’s Directive Targeting Drug Cartels

On Friday, Mexico’s president firmly stated that U.S. military forces would not be permitted to enter Mexican territory, addressing recent reports that former President Trump had ordered the military to cross the border in an effort to combat drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations.

The Mexican government has made it unequivocally clear that it will not permit the presence of U.S. military forces on its soil, despite recent reports suggesting that former U.S. President Donald Trump authorized plans for military action against Latin American drug cartels.

Mexico’s President Releases a Statement

President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly addressed the issue during a press briefing on Friday. “There will be no entry of U.S. military forces into Mexico,” she stated. “We maintain a cooperative and collaborative relationship with the United States, but a military intervention or invasion is completely out of the question—absolutely ruled out.”

This response follows a report by The New York Times alleging that Trump had secretly signed a classified directive instructing the Pentagon to prepare for the possible use of military force beyond U.S. borders, specifically targeting powerful drug trafficking organizations operating in Latin America.

While the White House, in a statement to the BBC, did not confirm or deny the existence of such a directive, it reiterated Trump’s broader commitment to national security. “President Trump’s top priority has always been the protection of the American homeland,” the statement read.

Earlier in the year, Trump signed an executive order formally designating eight drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Of those eight, six are based in Mexico, raising alarm within the Mexican government. President Sheinbaum acknowledged that her administration was made aware of the potential executive action, but stressed that there had been no discussion or agreement involving U.S. military involvement in Mexican territory. “We were informed that a declaration regarding the cartels was forthcoming,” she said, “but it had nothing to do with the deployment of military personnel. That was never on the table.”

Mexico Rejects U.S. Military Presence

Sheinbaum further emphasized that her administration has consistently rejected any suggestion of foreign military operations within Mexican borders. “Every time such an idea has been brought up, our response has always been a firm ‘No’,” she reiterated. “We will not allow our national sovereignty to be compromised under the pretext of fighting organized crime.”

Sheinbaum had previously voiced concerns when the Trump administration moved to label Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups, warning that such a designation should not be exploited as justification for violating Mexico’s territorial integrity. “This cannot become an excuse for the United States to breach our sovereignty,” she stated earlier this year.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking on Thursday, defended the terrorist designation of the cartels. He argued that these criminal networks should be treated with the same seriousness as armed insurgent groups. “It’s time we stop viewing them simply as drug traffickers,” Rubio said. “They are heavily armed, highly organized, and should be treated as terrorist threats. This approach allows us to mobilize intelligence resources and, where necessary, defense assets to disrupt their operations.”

According to The New York Times, the directive allegedly signed by Trump provides a legal and strategic framework for launching direct military actions, including at sea and within the territories of foreign nations where these cartels operate.

Despite the rising tension surrounding the issue, U.S.-Mexico cooperation in border security has shown recent signs of effectiveness. Joint efforts between the two nations have reportedly reduced both illegal migration and the smuggling of narcotics across the U.S.-Mexico border. According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the month of June recorded the lowest number of illegal border crossings in recent history.

Mexico’s Ambassador Commends collaboration with U.S.

In a related development, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson recently highlighted the success of bilateral initiatives to combat fentanyl trafficking. Speaking last week, Johnson noted that seizures of the deadly synthetic opioid at the border had dropped by over 50%. He praised the collaborative leadership of President Sheinbaum and Donald Trump, claiming their efforts have significantly weakened the financial networks of criminal organizations.

In a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Johnson wrote, “Thanks to the joint leadership of Presidents Sheinbaum and Trump, cartel operations are collapsing. Their profits are drying up, and our countries are safer as a result.”

While the rhetoric in Washington grows increasingly aggressive, Mexico’s leadership remains steadfast in protecting its national autonomy. As pressure mounts from the U.S. to take a more militarized approach to transnational crime, President Sheinbaum’s administration continues to emphasize diplomacy, cooperation, and respect for sovereignty as the path forward.