Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has drawn a clear line in the sand: while her government is committed to working with the United States against the scourge of Latin American drug cartels, she has unequivocally ruled out any possibility of U.S. troops operating on Mexican soil. The firm stance comes in the wake of reports from The New York Times on August 8, 2025, that U.S. President Donald Trump had secretly authorized the Pentagon to prepare for direct military action against drug cartels abroad, raising the specter of foreign boots on Mexican ground—a prospect Sheinbaum has called "absolutely ruled out."
In a statement to reporters, Sheinbaum was adamant: "The United States is not going to come to Mexico with the military. We cooperate, we collaborate, but there is not going to be an invasion. That is ruled out, absolutely ruled out." According to The New York Times, the secret directive signed by Trump provides an official basis for potential military operations at sea and on foreign soil against criminal organizations designated as terrorist entities. The move follows an executive order from earlier in 2025 that formally labeled eight major drug cartels as terrorist organizations, six of which are based in Mexico.
The White House, while not confirming the existence of the directive, doubled down on the administration’s priorities. In a statement to the BBC, a spokesperson explained, "President Trump’s top priority is protecting the homeland." Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, echoed this to The Hill, emphasizing that designating cartels as terrorist organizations was a "bold step" in safeguarding American interests.
The Mexican government, for its part, was informed in advance of new U.S. measures targeting the cartels. Sheinbaum stressed, however, that these measures did not involve any deployment of U.S. military personnel in Mexico. "It is not part of any agreement, far from it. When it has been brought up, we have always said ‘No’," she told The New York Times. Sheinbaum’s position has remained consistent: collaboration and intelligence sharing are on the table, but sovereignty is non-negotiable.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken an even harder line, arguing that the terrorist designation opens the door for the U.S. to use a broader array of tools—including intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense—against the cartels. "We have to start treating them as armed terrorist organizations, not simply drug-dealing organizations," Rubio said on August 7, 2025. He also announced a dramatic escalation in U.S. policy toward Venezuela, labeling President Nicolás Maduro as the leader of the Cartel de los Soles and offering a $50 million reward for his capture. "Maduro is the leader of the ruthless Los Soles Cartel, a narcoterrorist organization that has taken over Venezuela. Maduro MUST be brought to justice," Rubio declared on X.
Since returning to office, President Trump has not only designated Mexican cartels but also other Latin American gangs such as Tren de Aragua (TdA) and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. In July, Cartel de los Soles was added to the list. These designations, according to Antiwar.com, provide the legal and political rationale for possible direct military operations, not just at sea but also on foreign soil.
Despite the heated rhetoric and the uptick in U.S. planning—The New York Times reports that Pentagon officials have started drawing up plans for targeting cartels—Mexico’s position has not wavered. Sheinbaum, who has prioritized a crackdown on cartels since her election in 2024, reiterated that any U.S. military presence in Mexico is a nonstarter. In May 2025, the Trump administration offered to send U.S. troops into Mexican territory to fight the cartels, but Sheinbaum swiftly rejected the proposal. Instead, she has advocated for deeper cooperation in intelligence and border security.
The results of this cooperation are already being felt. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data cited by Daily Post, June 2025 saw the lowest number of illegal border crossings on record, while fentanyl seizures dropped by more than half compared to earlier in the year. U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson praised the joint efforts, writing on X that the cooperation between Sheinbaum and Trump had left cartels "going bankrupt" and that both countries are now "safer because of it." Mexican authorities also reported a significant drop in fentanyl seizures in July 2025, a development that Sheinbaum’s administration credits to their intensified operations against the Sinaloa Cartel and others.
Yet, the legal and political landscape remains fraught with challenges. The New York Times points out that any unilateral U.S. strikes against cartels could raise serious legal questions—especially if individuals are killed who do not pose an imminent threat or if military action proceeds without Congressional authorization. Historically, the U.S. President and Congress have often sidestepped the constitutional process for war-making, but critics argue that such moves set a dangerous precedent.
Senator Tom Cotton, a member of the Armed Services Committee, voiced strong support for Trump’s approach, writing on X, "Mexican drug cartels are just as dangerous and murderous as terrorist groups. I’ve long called for the U.S. to take the fight directly to the Cartels. This is a great decision by President Trump and @SecDef." Such support underscores a growing chorus in Washington that sees direct action as necessary, even as others warn of the risks of escalation and the undermining of Mexican sovereignty.
Meanwhile, the CIA has reportedly ramped up surveillance flights over Mexican territory, a move that hints at the seriousness with which the U.S. is now treating the cartel threat. Still, the Mexican government remains firm in its refusal to allow any foreign military operations on its soil. As Sheinbaum put it, "It is not part of any agreement, far from it. When it has been brought up, we have always said ‘No’."
As both nations grapple with the twin crises of drug trafficking and cross-border violence, the balance between cooperation and autonomy has never been more delicate. With the stakes so high and the rhetoric so heated, the coming months will test the resolve of leaders on both sides of the border—and the very fabric of the U.S.-Mexico relationship.