President of Mexico refuses Trump’s offer to attack drug dealers in Mexico, ‘We can work together, but you in your territory and us in ours.’
US President Donald Trump proposed sending American troops into Mexico to help President Claudia Sheinbaum fight drug trafficking, but she reported rejecting the offer, according to an NBC report.
Sheinbaum reportedly responded to a Wall Street Journal report detailing a tense phone call last month in which Trump allegedly urged her to allow a greater US military role in fighting Mexican drug cartels.
“He asked, ‘How can we support your fight against drug trafficking? I suggest the US military come in and help.’ And I told him, ‘No, President Trump,’” she recounted.
“Sovereignty isn’t negotiable,” she added. “It’s cherished and protected.”
White House National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt later said Trump has worked closely with Mexico’s president “to ensure the most secure southwest border in history.”
“Foreign terrorist groups still pose a threat to both nations, and the drugs and violence they fuel harm communities across America,” Hewitt said. “The President has made clear that Mexico must step up efforts against these cartels, and the US is ready to deepen cooperation.”
US military activity has steadily increased along the southern border since Trump’s January directive to expand the Army’s role in curbing migration.
Northern Command has deployed more troops and gear, launched additional surveillance flights to track drug smuggling, and pushed for broader authority allowing US Special Forces to coordinate more closely with Mexican forces targeting cartels.
On February 19, Trump labeled many drug-smuggling gangs as foreign terrorist organizations, limiting their movement and giving law enforcement greater tools to act.
But Sheinbaum’s firm rejection on Saturday hinted that US pressure for unilateral military involvement could reignite tensions with Trump, despite prior collaboration on immigration and trade.
“We can work together, but you in your territory and us in ours,” Sheinbaum said.
