WASHINGTON (WDNews) — President Donald Trump said in a recent interview that the U.S. military could begin land-based strikes inside Mexico aimed directly at drug cartels, signaling a potential expansion of American military action beyond maritime operations.
Speaking Thursday night on Fox News with host Sean Hannity, Trump said the U.S. has already disrupted what he described as 97% of drug trafficking by sea and indicated the next focus would be cartel operations on Mexican land territory.
Trump claimed drug cartels are effectively controlling large portions of Mexico, calling the situation “very sad,” though he did not provide details on how or when such land strikes could occur, or whether they would involve coordination with the Mexican government.
The remarks come less than a week after U.S. forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Venezuelan officials say more than 100 people were killed during that operation, which followed a monthslong pressure campaign by the Trump administration.
According to reporting cited by the administration, U.S. forces have carried out at least 35 strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean, resulting in more than 100 deaths.
The administration has described its broader strategy as a renewed enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine, aimed at curbing drug trafficking, controlling migration, and reasserting U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere.
Trump has previously floated the idea of military action against drug cartels operating in Mexico. In recent days, the administration has also threatened possible military moves involving Cuba, Colombia, and Greenland, drawing criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans.
On Thursday, the U.S. Senate advanced the first phase of legislation intended to block further U.S. military action in Venezuela without congressional approval, reflecting growing concern on Capitol Hill over the administration’s expanding use of military force abroad.
