On Sunday, former President Donald Trump confirmed that he had proposed sending troops to Mexico to assist in combating drug trafficking, a suggestion made during a call with President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Sheinbaum, during a public event on Saturday, disclosed that she turned down Trump’s offer for U.S. troops, while instead advocating for enhanced collaboration and sharing of information.
Trump acknowledged the proposal, stating, “That’s true,” and referred to drug cartels as “the scary people killing people on the left and right.” He remarked on the severity of the drug crisis, noting that it resulted in “300,000 people lost to fentanyl and drugs last year.”
He expressed willingness to help if Mexico sought support against the cartels, saying, “I would be honored to do it.” Trump’s criticism towards Mexico has been persistent, particularly regarding its efforts to stem immigration and drug trafficking to the U.S., especially concerning fentanyl.
His comments in early March angered many in Mexico, as he described the country as being “fully controlled by a cartel of murder, rape, and torture.”
On Sunday, Trump suggested that Sheinbaum declined the military support due to fears of reprisal from armed groups. “The Mexican president is a lovely woman, but she’s so afraid of the cartel that she can’t even think straight,” he remarked to the press.
