'OK with me': Trump says about striking 'drug cartels' in Mexico
3 Min Read
Donald Trump says he’s open to launching strikes on Mexico to allegedly curb drug trafficking, expressing dissatisfaction with the country’s efforts.
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President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Nov. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would be willing to authorize military strikes on Mexico if that’s what it takes to stop the flow of drugs into the United States.
“Okay with me, whatever we have to do to stop drugs,” Trump told reporters when asked about the possibility of targeting Mexico with strikes. “I looked at Mexico City over the weekend. There are so many problems over there.”
Trump says he would ATTACK Mexico ‘to stop drugs’
— JUST IN | World (@justinbroadcast) November 17, 2025
‘OK with me… I’m not happy with Mexico’
COLOMBIA is on Trump’s hit list too
pic.twitter.com/LXv9ExtEkK
He added that he had been in contact with Mexican officials and made his position clear. “They know how I stand,” Trump said. “I’m not happy with the country.”
He also said he would be "proud" to strike drug factories and corridors in Colombia amid an aggressive campaign against the South American country.
US planning covert op. in Mexico?
In this context, two current and two former US officials familiar with the discussions told NBC News that the Trump administration is in the early stages of planning a covert mission that would send American troops and intelligence officers into Mexico to target drug cartels.
The proposed operation, which could include drone strikes on cartels, marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s military campaign against alleged transnational criminal groups. It would involve US special operations forces and CIA officers operating under Title 50 authority, which governs covert action by the US intelligence community.
While training for the potential mission has already begun, a final decision has not been made.
Strikes do not represent Americans' demands from presidency
Washington continues to intensify its maritime and aerial presence around the Caribbean. In recent months, the Pentagon has expanded its deployment of ships, aircraft, and personnel as part of what US officials claim to be an effort to curb drug trafficking and terrorism.
Since early September, President Donald Trump has approved a series of strikes against vessels Washington claims are drug-running operations in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific. By November, these attacks had destroyed dozens of boats and resulted in more than 75 deaths, according to US reports.
However, fewer than one in three Americans believe the US military should carry out lethal strikes against people accused of trafficking drugs in the Caribbean or the eastern Pacific, according to findings from a Reuters/Ipsos survey released on Friday.
The poll shows that 29% of respondents support the practice, while a slight majority, 51%, say they oppose it outright. The remainder reported uncertainty.
Read more: Trump officials questioned as intel disputes Venezuela drug claims
