Sheinbaum: US intervention in Mexico ‘not going to happen’
3 Min Read
Claudia Sheinbaum rejects Trump's threat of US military action, stressing Mexico’s sovereignty and refusal of foreign intervention.
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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a joint news conference with France's President Emmanuel Macron at the National Palace in Mexico City, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 (AP)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has once again rejected the threat of US military action against drug cartels inside her country, a threat recently voiced by Donald Trump, asserting to reporters that such an event "is not going to happen."
Sheinbaum noted that the Trump administration had later clarified it would only intervene with Mexico’s permission, stating, “We are not going to ask for it because we do not want intervention from any foreign government.”
The Mexican president invoked the 19th-century Mexican-American War as a cautionary example of the potential consequences of allowing US troops into Mexico, stating, “The last time the United States came to intervene in Mexico, they took half of the territory.”
Trump threatens Mexico with intervention
On November 17, US President Donald Trump stated that he would be willing to authorize military strikes against Mexico if necessary to stop what he describes as the flow of drugs into the United States.
Trump expressed his stance to reporters by stating, “Okay with me, whatever we have to do to stop drugs,” when questioned about the potential for strikes against Mexico, and continued by saying, “I looked at Mexico City over the weekend. There are so many problems over there.”
He added that after being in contact with Mexican officials and making his position clear, Trump said, “They know how I stand,” and further commented, “I’m not happy with the country.” According to Sheinbaum, the Trump administration subsequently issued a clarification that any intervention would be contingent upon Mexico's approval.
Trump's bid against Mexico
Since his victory in the 2024 US presidential election, Donald Trump has made relations with Mexico a central pillar of his agenda, particularly focusing on migration, drug trafficking, and trade. He has frequently linked the flow of people across the border with the flow of illicit drugs, arguing that the Mexican government must do more to curb both.
On the migration front, Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on Mexican goods if Mexico fails to curb the movement of migrants and drug trafficking through its territory. He has also raised the possibility of designating Mexican drug cartels as “foreign terrorist organisations,” a move that would allow the US to take more aggressive measures across the border.
In November 2024, he pledged a sweeping 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada unless both countries took aggressive action against what he insists are fentanyl smuggling and undocumented migration. By early 2025, his administration had formalized some of these measures, including a 25% tariff on a wide range of Mexican goods, partially exempting certain sectors under the USMCA.
In terms of trade, Trump has tied economic policy directly to border security and anti-drug efforts. He has used tariff threats as leverage, putting pressure on Mexico despite the deep economic ties between the two countries. This approach has created tension in a relationship that is vital to both nations’ economies.
More recently, Trump has floated the idea of military intervention inside Mexico, allegedly to target drug cartels. The suggestion has sparked strong backlash in Mexico, with officials, including President Claudia Sheinbaum, rejecting any possibility of foreign troops on Mexican soil.
