The administration of Donald Trump evaluate send US troops to Mexican territory to directly attack cartels, according to current and former officials cited by NBC News. The initiative, still in the exploratory phase, contemplates covert operationsspecial forces personnel and intelligence officers conducting ground missions against laboratories and criminal leaders.
Although there is no imminent deployment, the preliminary training It would have already started, sources indicate.
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According to the American media, the strategy would imply the involvement of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) under the authority of Title 50 of the United States Code, which would allow covert actions supervised by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)not by the Pentagon.
This legal framework authorizes clandestine operations abroad through a confidential presidential order and with limited information to Congress. In such missions, soldiers operate as intelligence agentswhich shields its presence from possible diplomatic controversies.
Preparations would include interagency intelligence and coordination training, target identification exercises, and on-the-ground reconnaissance. Such actions—according to previous experiences between both countries—tend to remain within restricted circuits, without public announcements or visible displays. US officials stressed that internal discussions continue and the final decision has not yet been made.
If activated, The mission would mark a turn with respect to previous administrationswhich have collaborated with Mexican units, but avoiding direct operations. Recent reports reveal that the CIA He already works with Mexican special teams to track drug traffickers, providing training and technical assistance. The novelty would be a lethal intervention carried out by US forces from Mexican soil, with drones and personnel specialized in high-precision operations.
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Since January, Washington intensified its stance: it classified transnational cartels and gangs as terrorist organizationsexpanding legal powers for espionage and covert actions. At the same time, the US government has carried out attacks against vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking in the Caribbean and the Pacific, without revealing detailed information on casualties or evidence.
The president Claudia Sheinbaum has reiterated that Mexico rejects any form of subordination. Although he recognized cooperation in aerial surveillance—including unmanned flights—he maintained that all collaboration must occur within a legal framework and respect for sovereignty. “Cooperation yes, submission never”he states. The Mexican government strengthened border operations, seizures and extraditions, seeking to balance collaboration and autonomy.