In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, US President Donald Trump has outlined plans for potential US ground operations targeting Mexican drug cartels on Mexican soil. He stated that they have stopped around 97% of the drugs coming in via the sea route and now they are going to hit the Mexican cartels on land.
“The cartels are running Mexico, it is very sad to see that. The border has been a total mess for years”, Trump stated.
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
Trump stated that anually around 250,000-300000 US citizens are being killed by drugs, and the number of victims is actually more because drugs devastate whole families. He added that the time has come for the US to stop these drug cartels by not just stopping their deliveries via the sea route but to hit their ground operations and facilities in Mexico.
US forces have been hitting boats on the Carribean for weeks. Recently US force attacked and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to face charges related to narco terrorism and arms smuggling. Trump has been vocal about the necessity of these military operations, adding that they are a national security requirement.
It is notable here that US and Mexico are strong trade partners and a military operation by US forces on Mexican soil might cause a diplomatic fallout. Mexico supplies about 41% of U.S. auto parts and 15–18% of total imports, valued at over $500 billion annually. A disruption in that supply chain will hit the US auto industry hard.
The US Operation Absolute Resolve that captured Maduro and brought him as a prisoner to New York is already being criticised as a severe breach of sovereignty by many nations.
