Donald J. Trump is taking decisive action on a wide range of issues, both domestic and foreign, and sometimes, these two categories overlap. For example, border security and the fight—on both sides of the Mexico divide—against drug trafficking and illegal migrant smuggling operations, all carried out by the brutal and heavily armed Mexican cartels.
Here too, Trump’s team is breaking from the old approach, warning neighboring authorities that they will take decisive action unless they step up and address the issue.
A report revealed that, just seven days after his confirmation as Defense Secretary in late January, Pete Hegseth warned Mexican officials the U.S. military was ‘ready to take unilateral action’ against the country’s drug cartels.
The Secretary reportedly said the only way for Mexico to prevent this is by working harder to curb the flow of fentanyl and migrants into the U.S.
As reported by The New York Post:
The Pentagon chief made the remark during a Jan. 31 call with top Mexican military officials, while urging them to address collusion between their country’s government and violent criminal organizations, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
Mexican officials on the call were ‘shocked and angered’ by Hegseth’s comments, and were left with the impression that he was suggesting US military strikes could take place south of the border, according to the outlet.
In the Pentagon readout of Hegseth’s call, the secretary stated that his top priority is to safeguard the United States and its citizens, including acting to secure the southern border.
“The Secretary highlighted the importance of Mexico’s armed forces continuing to disrupt cartel activities that threaten the United States, and for Mexico to continue taking steps to curb illegal migration into the United States,” the readout continued. “In both calls, the Secretary and his Mexican counterparts reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation between our militaries.”
Hegseth has previously refused to rule out US military action against Mexican drug cartels. “All options will be on the table,” he said during a ‘Fox & Friends’ interview when asked if the military is permitted to conduct operations inside Mexico after President Trump ordered criminal cartels to be designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
That remark was on the same day as his call with Mexico’s military brass.
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