The Trump administration is reportedly considering using drones to strike drug cartels in Mexico. The idea is part of a bigger plan to deal with criminal gangs that are smuggling drugs across the southern border.
The talks are still early. Officials from the White House, the Defense Department, and intelligence agencies have reportedly been discussing options, which include drone strikes on cartel leaders and supply chains inside Mexico, possibly with Mexico’s support, six current and former US military, law enforcement, and intelligence officials with knowledge of the matter told NBC News.. It’s unclear if US officials have formally presented the drone strike plan to Mexico.
If both countries work together, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve teamed up against the cartels. The US military and intelligence have cooperated with Mexico’s army and police in the past. But using drones in this way, and possibly involving more US personnel, would be new territory.
Officials and Trump nominees have not ruled out the use of drone strikes in public comments. Meanwhile, the US military and CIA have been flying more surveillance missions over Mexico to gather information for a possible campaign. These flights are happening with permission from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
“They’re looking to build a target deck,” one former official said. Targets could include cartel members, vehicles, warehouses, and other parts of their network.
The administration has already started shifting military and intelligence resources toward the cartels. Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have both hinted that the US might act alone if needed. They’ve both used phrases like “all cards are on the table.”
The administration says it wants to work with Mexico’s military and police on this. Officials said they’d prefer joint action, but some believe the US might act on its own if needed. That move could hurt US-Mexico relations and may break international law.
Those who support the drone idea believe that strong military pressure might make the cartels back off, especially from trafficking fentanyl. But others are doubtful and think it might only make things worse politically in Mexico. Some Trump officials believe that refusing to rule out military action—and other pressures like tariffs—could push Mexico to cooperate more than previously.
There’s still debate inside the administration on what measures should be taken. One former Mexican ambassador to the US, Arturo Sarukhán, said unilateral US military action in Mexico hasn’t been seriously considered since 1914. He said, “There is no doubt if there were unilateral action inside Mexico, this would put the bilateral relationship into a nosedive.”
President Sheinbaum has shown she’s willing to work with Trump’s team on border issues and the cartels, increasing enforcement as soon as she took office in October, after her predecessor claimed fentanyl wasn’t made in Mexico. Her choice to allow CIA surveillance flights during the Biden years already marked a change in direction, according to officials. Sheinbaum has warned against any US military action taken without Mexico’s okay after Trump labeled the cartels as foreign terrorist groups.
“There has always been a tremendous level of suspicion by Mexican authorities of the US,” said a former US diplomat who worked in Mexico. “And we haven’t exactly given them reason recently to believe any differently.”
Sheinbaum said in a Tuesday press conference, "While this idea hasn’t been formally proposed, we’ve made it clear that it wouldn’t address the root of the issue. What truly works is ongoing attention to root causes, arrests driven by intelligence and investigation, coordination, and zero tolerance for impunity. We categorically reject any such actions, and we don’t believe they will happen. There is a strong, ongoing dialogue on security and many other matters."
One of the six sources, who was a senior DEA official under Biden, said Trump’s pressure already made Mexico take a tougher stance. He said fear of Trump might lead them to accept US military help. “Politics aside, Trump is not f*cking around with this stuff,” he said. He also warned that Mexico might face economic consequences if it refused to work with the US.
Now that Trump has designated six Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, US agencies have more legal freedom to conduct covert actions against them.
