US Plans Military Strikes in Mexico Against Cartels: Sovereignty Clash Looms

The Trump administration is actively preparing plans to deploy US troops and intelligence operatives to Mexico for direct action against powerful drug cartels, a move that would mark a dramatic escalation in cross-border security policy and has already triggered firm opposition from Mexican leadership, according to an exclusive NBC News investigation.

Citing two current and two former US officials, the report reveals that the proposed mission could include drone strikes targeting cartel leaders and drug laboratories, with involvement from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). While initial training has reportedly begun, officials emphasized that a final decision on troop deployment is pending as the administration debates the mission's scope and legal authorities.

The planning follows the US State Department's recent designation of six Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, a classification that provides broader legal justification for covert military and intelligence actions. This legal framework is seen as pivotal for authorizing potential cross-border strikes.

The proposal sets the stage for a major diplomatic clash. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly and publicly rejected any foreign military intervention on Mexican soil. In a recent statement, she affirmed, "Our sovereignty is non-negotiable," directly contradicting the potential US action. Historically, Mexico has strictly opposed any foreign military presence, with the last significant US incursion occurring over a century ago in 1916.

The push for military intervention is driven by the ongoing fentanyl crisis in the United States, where thousands of annual deaths are linked to synthetic opioids smuggled across the border. US authorities identify Mexican cartels as the primary suppliers fueling this public health emergency.

If executed, this operation would represent the first US military deployment on Mexican territory in more than 100 years, fundamentally reshaping bilateral security cooperation and challenging long-standing norms of national sovereignty in the region. The development is being closely monitored by international affairs experts as a potential flashpoint in US-Mexico relations.