Trump authorizes military operations against Latin American cartels classified as terrorist groups

Trump Approves Military Action Against Drug Cartels

President Donald Trump has given the green light for U.S. military operations targeting specific Latin American drug cartels, which have been classified as foreign terrorist organizations. This order enables military actions both on land and at sea against these groups.

Reports from the New York Times indicate that this approval allows the U.S. to take direct action against various cartels that traffic drugs, including fentanyl, across the U.S.-Mexico border.

A source close to the White House stated, “The president is determined not only to dismantle, but to destroy completely—[Venezuelan dictator Nicolas] Maduro’s Cartel de los Sales along with other operations in the Western Hemisphere,” as reported by the New York Post.

Communications with the press reveal that the initiative involves collaboration among several federal agencies such as the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and others.

Anna Kelly, Deputy Director of the White House, remarked, “President Trump’s number one priority is to protect his hometown. That’s why he took a bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations,” according to Fox News Digital.

On the other side, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on Friday that U.S. troops will not be moving into Mexican territory following a proposal from Washington to tackle cartels. She emphasized, “It has nothing to do with Mexico’s territory,” clarifying, “It does not include our territory.”

As of now, there has been no official comment from President Trump in response to Sheinbaum’s statements regarding U.S. military actions not extending into Mexico.

Previously, Trump had called for the use of military force against drug cartels as a means of curbing illegal drug trafficking and immigration issues at the southern border. He has also designated a prominent member of the Cartel del Noreste, which is considered one of Mexico’s most dangerous trafficking organizations.