Donald Trump Vows to Designate Mexican Drug Cartels as Terrorist Organizations Upon Taking Office
In an electrifying address at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, the newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, has announced his intention to designate Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations immediately after assuming office on January 20. This bold move rekindles a proposal he had floated during his previous tenure (2017-2021).
Trump made this declaration while highlighting his administration’s tough stance on border security and immigration. "I’ll designate the cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. We’re going to do it immediately," he asserted. This move, if executed, could have significant implications for U.S.-Mexico relations, including potential changes in drug policies and heightened cooperation between the two countries’ security forces.
Trump’s declaration comes amidst an escalating drug crisis in the United States, where fentanyl, largely smuggled from Mexico, has emerged as a leading cause of deaths among Americans. The incoming president also touched upon this issue during his conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in November, stating that he was "very tough" on the topics of undocumented migration and fentanyl trafficking.
However, Sheinbaum has expressed resistance to the idea of designating Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. Speaking during a visit to Sinaloa, a state grappling with a surge in criminal violence, she reiterated Mexico’s stance: "We collaborate, coordinate, work together, but we are not going to submit. Mexico is a free, sovereign, independent country, and we do not accept interference in our affairs."
The Mexican President announced her strategy for fostering peace, improving security, and stimulating social and economic development in the northwestern part of the country. She emphasized strengthening social fabric and enacting an effective justice system as key components of her approach.
Trump, in his address, also reinforced his commitment to immigration crackdowns, pledging to sign an executive order to close U.S. borders to undocumented migrants and initiate the largest deportation effort in American history upon taking office. He framed this action as a crackdown on transnational criminal organizations and their associates operating within U.S. borders.
As the political and legal landscape evolves, these starkly differing stances between the two nations’ leaders on cartel classification and migration policies are expected to shape their upcoming relations and negotiations.
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