WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy and military engagement, President Donald Trump announced late Thursday that the United States is moving beyond maritime blockades to conduct direct land strikes against drug cartels.
The announcement, made during an appearance on Fox News’s Hannity, signals a potential military incursion into Mexico—a move that has already sparked fierce condemnation from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and raised alarms across the international community.
“We are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico,” Trump told host Sean Hannity. While the President did not provide specific tactical details or a timeline, he framed the expansion as a necessary next step following what he described as the “97% neutralization” of drug smuggling via water routes.
From Maritime Interdiction to Sovereignty Conflict
For the past several months, the Trump administration has conducted a massive naval operation in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. This buildup—the largest in generations—resulted in dozens of lethal strikes against vessels suspected of transporting narcotics.
However, the President’s latest rhetoric moves the “War on Drugs” from international waters onto the sovereign soil of a major U.S. trading partner. The administration has laid the legal groundwork for such actions by designating several cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
Also targeted is the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which Trump has frequently linked to the Maduro regime. Administration officials argue that these designations allow the U.S. military to treat cartel infrastructure with the same “rules of engagement” used against groups like Al-Qaeda or ISIS.
The “Absolute Resolve” Context: The Capture of Maduro
The threat of land strikes in Mexico carries significant weight following the events of last Saturday, January 3, 2026. In a lightning operation codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, U.S. Special Forces raided Caracas, Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Key Details of the Venezuela Operation:
- The Raid: Involving over 150 aircraft, U.S. forces struck military infrastructure to suppress air defenses before extracting Maduro from his residence.
- The Charges: Maduro was flown to New York City to face federal narco-trafficking and narcoterrorism charges.
- The Aftermath: Trump stated the U.S. would “run” Venezuela until a transition occurs, though Secretary of State Marco Rubio later clarified the U.S. intends to facilitate an interim government led by acting president Delcy Rodríguez.
- The Oil Factor: A core component of the operation involves the handover of 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. to stabilize domestic energy prices.
Mexico Rejects “Donroe Doctrine” Intervention
The prospect of U.S. boots or missiles on Mexican soil has created a diplomatic crisis. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly rebuffed Trump’s offers of military assistance, viewing them as a violation of national sovereignty.
“Intervention has never brought democracy, nor has it generated lasting well-being or stability,” Sheinbaum said in a recent address. She emphasized that while Mexico is willing to cooperate on intelligence and humanitarian efforts, it will not accept “subordination.”
Critics of the administration’s “Donroe Doctrine”—a modern, more aggressive interpretation of the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine—warn that unilateral strikes in Mexico could collapse the USMCA trade agreement and lead to a refugee crisis at the southern border.
Strategic Impact and Global Reaction
The international community is watching with “grave concern,” according to United Nations officials. Russia and Brazil have joined Mexico in condemning the U.S. actions in Venezuela as a “breach of international law.” Meanwhile, European allies, particularly Denmark, have expressed unease following the administration’s recent comments regarding the acquisition of Greenland, further straining the NATO alliance.
Domestically, the move has divided Congress. Supporters argue that the fentanyl crisis—which claims over 100,000 American lives annually—justifies “any and all means” to dismantle the supply chain. Opponents, however, question the constitutional authority of the President to launch land strikes in a neighboring country without a formal declaration of war.
What to Watch Next
As the administration prepares for what Trump calls “Phase Two” of the land-based crackdown, several questions remain:
- Diplomatic Fallout: Will Mexico implement retaliatory tariffs or reduce cooperation on border security?
- Legal Challenges: Will Congress or international courts attempt to block the use of military force against criminal organizations on sovereign land?
- The Maduro Trial: With Maduro now in U.S. custody, his upcoming trial in Manhattan is expected to be a global media spectacle.