U.S. President Donald Trump suggested in a Thursday night Fox News interview that the American military could launch land strikes against drug cartels in Mexico, saying, “We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water. And we are going to start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels,” and adding, “The cartels are running Mexico, it’s very sad to watch and see what’s happened to that country.”
Trump’s remarks follow a recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, which the Venezuelan government says killed more than 100 people.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended the comments, stating, “The President has many options at his disposal to continue to protect our homeland from illicit narcotics that kill tens of thousands of Americans every year.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum pushed back, emphasizing her country’s sovereignty: “It is necessary to reaffirm that in Mexico the people rule, and that we are a free and sovereign country—cooperation, yes; subordination and intervention, no.”
She added that Mexico would “deepen coordination” with the U.S. on security matters while maintaining control over any action on its soil.