WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump opened the door Monday to launching U.S. strikes in Mexico, a move that would be a dramatic escalation of his administration’s fight against drug cartels.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump answered a question about potentially striking Mexico or sending American troops or other personnel into the country by saying it would be “OK with me."
“Would I launch strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? OK with me, whatever we have to do to stop drugs. Mexico is — look, I looked at Mexico City over the weekend. There’s some big problems over there,” Trump said after he was asked whether he was considering such action.
Asked whether he would conduct strikes only with Mexico’s permission, Trump said he “wouldn’t answer that question.” He added that he has been speaking with the country, adding that Mexico knows “how I stand.”
“We’ve stopped the waterways, but we know every route. We know every route, we know the addresses of every drug lord,” Trump said. “We know their address, we know their front door. We know everything about every one of them. They’re killing our people. That’s like a war. Would I do it? I’d be proud to.”
The Mexican Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
NBC News reported this month that the Trump administration has begun planning for a new campaign in which the United States would send American troops and intelligence officers to Mexico to target drug cartels. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly said U.S. military action in Mexico without her permission will not happen.
In the middle of answering the question about Mexico, Trump pivoted to talk about Colombia, saying he would be "proud" to dismantle cocaine factories in the country.
“We have nobody coming into our southern border, but we know exactly how they get their things here. How they get the drugs here. Fentanyl, cocaine,” Trump said. “Colombia is — has cocaine factories, where they make cocaine. Would I knock out those factories? I would be proud to do it, personally.”
The Colombian Embassy in Washington did not immediately provide a comment on Trump's remarks.
The Trump administration has launched nearly two dozen strikes on boats allegedly carrying narcotics in the region and near Venezuela, killing more than 80 people, including Colombian citizens.
The strikes led leftist Colombian President Gustavo Petro to denounce the Trump' administration’s actions and to a subsequent diplomatic rift between Petro and Trump. Trump has called Petro a “drug leader,” and the United States took the unusual move of sanctioning him.
Trump said Sunday he was considering talks with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amid the U.S. decision to ramp up pressure in the region, including by designating the Cartel de los Soles, which the administration alleges is run by Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization.
Asked Monday in the Oval Office whether he would rule out troops on the ground in Venezuela, Trump said no.
"I don't rule out anything. We just have to take care of Venezuela," he said.
