Days after the United States operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric toward Mexico, accusing drug cartels of effectively controlling the country and claiming that President Claudia Sheinbaum is afraid to confront them. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Mexico had become a major conduit for narcotics entering the US and warned that Washington might be forced to act if the situation does not change.
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Trump said he had repeatedly offered Sheinbaum direct US military assistance to combat organised crime, including the deployment of troops on Mexican soil, proposals he said the Mexican leader has consistently rejected. While describing Sheinbaum as "a terrific person," Trump argued that her reluctance stemmed from fear of the cartels' power. "They're very strong," he said, adding bluntly: "It's not nice to say, but the cartels run Mexico."
The comments mark a sharp intensification of Trump's long-running pressure campaign on Mexico over drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl, which has driven record overdose deaths in the US. Trump insisted that Mexico is capable of addressing the problem on its own but claimed it has failed to do so, leaving Washington little choice but to consider unilateral action. "We'd love for Mexico to handle it," he said. "But we have to do something."