On Saturday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced her rejection of President Trump’s suggestion to deploy U.S. troops in Mexico to address drug trafficking issues.
Her comments came in response to a report from a Mexican university, which outlined the complicated relationship between the two countries during Trump’s administration, particularly regarding immigration and the fentanyl crisis. The article noted Trump’s proposition involved sending military personnel to Mexico.
“And do you know what I told him? No, President Trump,” Sheinbaum stated in Spanish. “You cannot violate our territory. You cannot trade away sovereignty. Sovereignty is something we value and protect.”
“We don’t need that. We can cooperate. We can collaborate,” she continued. “But your territory is yours and ours is ours. We can exchange information, but the presence of U.S. military in our nation is not something we will accept.”
The Hill reached out to the White House for their response.
Earlier in the year, Trump imposed tariffs on Mexico, expressing dissatisfaction with their efforts to reduce the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. under a 2020 trade agreement.
In February, Sheinbaum deployed 10,000 Mexican soldiers to the U.S. border due to escalating threats.
Last month, Trump hinted at more tariffs targeting Latin American countries amid disputes over water resources, prompting Sheinbaum to announce her plans to send water supplies to Texas.
In February, the State Department labeled various Mexican drug cartels as key players in the fentanyl crisis, linking overdose deaths to drugs smuggled across the southern border.
Sheinbaum allowed drone reconnaissance to track down fentanyl labs in northern Mexico.
However, Trump continues to press Sheinbaum despite her firm stance against U.S. military presence. “This cannot serve as an excuse for the United States to infringe upon our sovereignty. It’s about collaboration, not control or invasion,” Sheinbaum remarked after an advisor to Trump suggested military action against cartels identified by the State Department.
“Under no circumstances will Mexicans tolerate foreign intervention or actions harmful to our country’s integrity, independence, or sovereignty… This includes violations of our territory,” she added.
