Mexican President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Proposal To Deploy US Troops Against Drug Cartels In Mexico
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has revealed that US President Donald Trump proposed sending American troops into Mexico to assist in combating drug trafficking—a suggestion she firmly rejected, insisting that Mexican sovereignty “is not for sale.” Speaking at a university event near Mexico City on Saturday, Sheinbaum responded to a Wall Street Journal report that detailed Trump’s push for greater US military involvement in Mexico’s fight against powerful drug cartels. The article, published on May 2, claimed Trump was pressuring Mexico to allow deeper US intervention to stem the trafficking of drugs, especially fentanyl, across the shared border. “In one of the calls, (Trump) said, ‘How can we help you fight drug trafficking? I propose that the US Army come in to help you,’” Sheinbaum recounted. “And you know what I told him? No, President Trump. The territory is sacrosanct, sovereignty is sacrosanct. Sovereignty is not for sale, sovereignty is loved and defended.” While acknowledging that Mexico and the United States can and do collaborate on matters of security, Sheinbaum drew a firm line on the presence of foreign troops. “We will never accept the presence of the United States military in our territory,” she said. A spokesperson for the US National Security Council (NSC) did not confirm the troop proposal directly but reiterated Trump’s stance that “Mexico must do more to combat these gangs and cartels.” The NSC said Trump had worked closely with Sheinbaum to achieve “the most secure southwest border in history” and maintained that dangerous criminal networks continue to pose a threat to both nations. The White House did not immediately respond to inquiries about the alleged proposal for troop deployment. Publicly, Trump has previously stated that he would consider unilateral US military action if Mexico failed to dismantle drug cartels, a stance that has drawn both domestic and international scrutiny. The US designated the Sinaloa Cartel and other Mexican drug groups as foreign terrorist organisations earlier this year—an act some analysts believe could serve as a pretext for increased military engagement. Tensions between the two leaders reportedly intensified during an April 16 phone call, where Trump again pressed for US forces to take a leading role in confronting the cartels. That same call included discussions on trade and immigration. Sheinbaum said she countered by asking Trump to focus instead on stemming the flow of firearms from the United States into Mexico—an issue she says fuels violence and empowers criminal groups. “We can collaborate, we can work together, but you can do it in your territory, we can do it in ours,” she emphasised. In response to the growing pressure, Sheinbaum has proposed a constitutional reform that would strengthen legal protections for Mexico’s national sovereignty, signalling her administration’s intent to safeguard the country’s independence amid external security challenges
Admin | 2025-05-04 12:27:19