‘Okay With Me’: Trump Leaves Door Open For US Military Action In Mexico To Stop Drug Cartels

Last Updated:November 18, 2025, 03:06 IST

As Trump boosts firepower in the Caribbean, he warns Mexico over drug cartels and hints at possible military moves.

Trump says he is open to authorising US strikes inside Mexico as anti-drug operations expand across Latin America. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

US President Donald Trump on Monday signalled that he is open to carrying out strikes against Mexican drug cartels and conduct military action inside Mexico in a bid to prevent the flow of drugs into American soil.

“Would I launch strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? It’s OK with me. Whatever we have to do to stop drugs," Trump said when asked by reporters at the White House whether he would sanction a US counter-drug operation in Mexico.

“I didn’t say I’m doing it, but I’d be proud to do it. Because we’re going to save millions of lives by doing it."

The Republican accused Mexico of failing to tackle drug trafficking groups.

The remarks also come as Trump flexes his military might in the Caribbean in a bid to intimidate Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro.

He has dramatically increased the number of US forces in the Caribbean to tackle what he calls drug traffickers based in a number of Latin American countries including Venezuela and Mexico.

Since launching the anti-trafficking military campaign in September, US forces have killed at least 83 people accused of ferrying drugs in international waters, according to an AFP tally of publicly released figures.

The US military also on Sunday confirmed the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier was now in the Caribbean Sea for the anti-smuggling campaign — dubbed “Operation Southern Spear" — along with two guided-missile destroyers and other support vessels and aircraft.

“At a certain period of time, I’ll be talking to him," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if he would speak to Maduro. He did not rule out sending troops to the Latin American nation.

Earlier this month, US broadcaster NBC in a report had said that Trump is planning to deploy the US army and intelligence officers to Mexico as part of a new push to tackle drug trafficking and the addiction crisis crippling America.

Two serving and two former senior US officials said the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is also likely to be involved in the mission.

Shankhyaneel Sarkar

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has covered se...Read More

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has covered se...

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News world ‘Okay With Me’: Trump Leaves Door Open For US Military Action In Mexico To Stop Drug Cartels

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