After the dramatic capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, US President Donald Trump has now turned his attention to drug cartels operating across the region. On Thursday, Trump said his government is preparing to take direct action against these groups on land, especially those operating in Mexico.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump claimed the United States has already made big progress in stopping drug trafficking through the sea. “We’ve knocked out 97 percent of the drugs coming in by water, and we are gonna start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels,” Trump said.Â
He went on to accuse Mexico of losing control over criminal groups. According to Trump, drug cartels have become too powerful inside the country. “The cartels are running Mexico,” he said, adding, “It’s very, very sad to watch and see what’s happened to that country.”
The U.S. President Donald Trump says the United States will carry out land strikes against drug cartels in Mexico, signaling a major escalation in cross-border security policy and raising serious diplomatic concerns. pic.twitter.com/TCCq6pNzvB
— Dipak Kumar Singh (@DiFactoGlobal) January 9, 2026
Trump’s remarks follow Venezuela operation
Trump’s comments came just days after a major US operation that led to the surprise arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. This action followed months of strong military and economic pressure by Washington against Maduro’s left-wing government.
The capture sent shockwaves across Latin America and raised fears that the US might now expand its military actions beyond Venezuela.
US offered Mexico military help
Earlier this week, Trump revealed that he had spoken with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum about using US forces to fight drug cartels inside Mexico. He also warned Mexico to “get its act together.”
However, Sheinbaum clearly rejected the idea of any foreign military involvement. “We categorically reject intervention in the internal affairs of other countries,” she said. Earlier she also dismissed talk of US invasion on Mexico.
While Mexico’s government has publicly pushed back against Trump’s statements, some officials and business leaders are privately worried. They fear Trump’s threats could soon turn into real military action.
In the worst case, they worry that a US strike could kill civilians and throw Mexico into serious political and economic disorder.
Mexico condemns US action in Venezuela
After the US operation in Venezuela, Mexico strongly criticized Washington’s move, even as it said it wanted to continue cooperation with the United States.
President Sheinbaum repeated Mexico’s long-standing position against foreign interference.
“We categorically reject intervention in the internal affairs of other countries,” she said. She also added, “The history of Latin America is clear and compelling: intervention has never brought democracy, never generated well-being, nor lasting stability.”
Trump hints at action against Mexico After Maduro Capture
Only hours after US special forces captured Maduro and his wife, Trump again raised the idea of using force against Mexico. He claimed that drug cartels are “running” the country and warned that “something is gonna have to be done with Mexico”.
These statements have increased tensions in the region, as many fear that Washington could now take military action not just against Venezuela, but also against Mexico in its campaign against drug cartels.
