Trump says US will begin ‘hitting land with regard to the cartels’ in drug crackdown

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Thursday indicated that his administration will soon expand its campaign against drug cartels to land-based operations, following recent actions targeting drug trafficking networks in the region.

Speaking on Fox News during an interview with host Sean Hannity, Trump said, “We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water, and we are gonna start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels”.

Underscoring his concerns about Mexico, Trump asserted that “The cartels are running Mexico,” adding, “It’s very, very sad to watch and see what’s happened to that country”.

Trump says the US will be conducting land strikes against the cartels. “We are gonna start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico.” pic.twitter.com/63sOf5NWIy

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 9, 2026

Earlier this week, Trump said he had raised the possibility of US military assistance with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to tackle drug cartels, cautioning that “Mexico has to get their act together”.

Trump’s remarks drew a sharp response from Sheinbaum, who reaffirmed Mexico’s sovereignty and rejected any form of foreign intervention, The Hill reported. The reaction followed last week’s US military operation in Venezuela that captured its President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

Responding to the developments, Sheinbaum said on Monday, “We categorically reject intervention in the internal affairs of other countries. The history of Latin America is clear and compelling: intervention has never brought democracy, never generated well-being, nor lasting stability.”

She stressed that political futures must be shaped internally, adding, “Only the people can build their own future, decide their path, exercise sovereignty over their natural resources, and freely define their form of government”.

Emphasising international law, Sheinbaum said it “unequivocally” establishes “respect for the sovereignty of states, their territorial integrity, and the right of peoples to self-determination.” She added, “Therefore, we state clearly that, for Mexico, and so it must be for all Mexicans: the sovereignty and self-determination of peoples are not optional or negotiable, they are fundamental principles of international law and must always be respected without exception”.

Responding further, Sheinbaum pointed to ongoing cooperation between the two countries on combating drug trafficking, saying, “Mexico cooperates with the United States, including for humanitarian reasons, to prevent fentanyl and other drugs from reaching its population, particularly young people.”

She added, “As we’ve said before: we don’t want fentanyl, or any drug, to reach any young person, not in the United States, not in Mexico, not anywhere else in the world. We are acting responsibly and decisively”.

At the same time, Sheinbaum underlined the need to address shared responsibility and deeper causes of violence, stating, “It is important to emphasize that when we talk about shared responsibility, respect, and mutual trust, this violence experienced in our country has, among its causes, the illegal entry of high-powered weapons from the United States into Mexico, as well as the serious problem of drug use in the neighboring country.”

She further said, “Similarly, we have pointed out that groups that distribute drugs and launder money in both Mexico and the United States must be firmly combated.”

Sheinbaum reaffirmed Mexico’s stance against external pressure, saying, “Finally, it is necessary to reaffirm that in Mexico the people rule and that we are a free, independent and sovereign country.” She added, “Cooperation, yes; subordination and intervention, no.” (ANI)