The Trump administration is considering sending U.S. troops and intelligence officers into Mexico to strike powerful drug cartels.
Officials told NBC News that the mission involves a new counter-cartel mission led by elite special operations forces and supported by the CIA.
If approved, the operation would mark one of the boldest U.S. interventions in Mexico in more than a century.
According to News18, the plan could authorize limited attacks across the border and targeted drone strikes under intelligence authority so that the CIA and Joint Special Operations Command could participate.
The U.S. troops would focus on high-value cartel leaders and drug trafficking networks responsible for fentanyl and other synthetic opioids entering the United States.
The Daily Mail reported that the proposal builds on President Donald Trump’s earlier campaign promise to “use all necessary force” to destroy Mexican cartels. He has repeatedly compared the cartels to terrorist organizations and argued that the U.S. has the “right to defend itself” if Mexico fails to act.
This is not the first time that Trump has spoken about military intervention south of the U.S. borders. During his 2024 campaign, he pledged to deploy U.S. special forces to combat cartels “just like ISIS,” calling the drug crisis a national security emergency.
According to NBC News, early preparations for potential missions include coordination between the Pentagon and the intelligence community. Sources said planning remains preliminary, with no final authorization yet from the White House.
🚨Update: President Trump is preparing a new operation in Mexico to target Narco Terrorist Cartels!
According to NBC News, citing US officials, the operation involves deploying US Special Forces troops and intelligence officers to strike Cartel drug labs and cartel leaders… pic.twitter.com/MKfgSsAOl6
— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) November 3, 2025
NBC first released a story in April about the U.S. striking Mexico’s drug cartels. At the time, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated, “We reject any form of intervention or interference. That’s been very clear, Mexico coordinates and collaborates, but does not subordinate itself.”
There seems to be a growing shift in how Washington views transnational crime. Cartels, once treated primarily as law enforcement targets, are increasingly being seen as military or terror-level threats. That framing could open the door to broader use of U.S. intelligence assets and combat capabilities abroad.
As for Sheinbaum. she has shown her willingness to co-operate with the Biden and Trump administrations. She has already extradited 55 senior cartel members to the U.S.; sent 10,000 military officials to the border, and increased drug seizures.
When the alleged plan was initially revealed in April, many took to the Reddit platform penned their thoughts about the U.S. taking such forceful action.
One said, “Attacking another nation without its consent is an act of war… I am not fond of Mexican drug cartels. But I am even less fond of Trump authoritarianism.”
Another Redditor pointed out, “Not sure how bombing Mexico with their consent is breaking international law? … These groups have attacked and threatened the sovereignty of our ally, Mexico… They have invaded America (crossed the border with the intent to deal deadly drugs)… But if he can get sign off from Mexico, maybe we can empower Mexico to thrive out from the control of the cartels.”
While we don’t know whether the Trump administration will go ahead with the plan, or whether it will remain an emergency option,
officials insist that any final decision would require coordination with Mexico’s government.
If they go ahead with the strike, it could lead to an expansion of U.S. counter-narcotics policy and signal a new era of militarized responses to organized crime.
