Trump criticises Mexico for rejecting offer to send troops
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected the proposal to send US troops to Mexico to help thwart the illegal drug trade.
President Donald Trump said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected his proposal to send US troops to Mexico to help thwart the illegal drug trade because she is fearful of the country’s powerful cartels
Sunday’s comments by Mr Trump came a day after Ms Sheinbaum confirmed he pressed her in a call last month to accept a bigger role for the US military in combating drug cartels in Mexico.
Mr Trump said it was “true” that he proposed sending the troops to Mexico and lashed out at Ms Sheinbaum for dismissing the idea.
“Well, she’s so afraid of the cartels she can’t walk, so you know that’s the reason,” Mr Trump said in comments to reporters aboard Air Force One.
“And I think she’s a lovely woman. The president of Mexico is a lovely woman, but she is so afraid of the cartels that she can’t even think straight.”
The US military presence along the southern border with Mexico has increased steadily in recent months, following Mr Trump’s order in January to increase the army’s role in stemming the flow of migrants.
US Northern Command has surged troops and equipment to the border, increased manned surveillance flights to monitor fentanyl trafficking along the border and sought expanded authority for US Special Forces to work closely with Mexican forces conducting operations against cartels.
But Ms Sheinbaum said that US troops operating inside Mexico was going too far.
“We can work together, but you in your territory and us in ours,” Ms Sheinbaum said she told Mr Trump.
Mr Trump in February designated as “foreign terrorist organisations” many gangs and cartels smuggling drugs into the US, restricting their movements and lending law enforcement more resources to act against them.
But Ms Sheinbaum’s stance — and Mr Trump’s response — suggest that US pressure for unilateral military intervention could create tension between the two leaders after co-operation on immigration and trade in the early going of Mr Trump’s second term.
He said the US military is needed to stem the scourge of fentanyl in the United States.
“They are bad news,” Mr Trump said of the cartels.
“If Mexico wanted help with the cartels, we would be honoured to go in and do it. I told her that. I would be honoured to go in and do it. The cartels are trying to destroy our country.”
