Washington, Oct 16: US President Donald Trump has claimed that drug cartels effectively control Mexico and warned that his administration would intensify operations against trafficking networks, particularly along land routes across the US-Mexico border. His remarks came as Washington continued to make narcotics trafficking, illegal immigration and border security central priorities of its domestic security agenda.
Speaking at a White House Rose Garden lunch honouring first responders, Trump said his administration had made significant progress in curbing maritime drug trafficking and was preparing to expand its campaign against criminal organisations operating across the southern border. He acknowledged that the Mexican government was unhappy with his assessment of the influence wielded by cartels.
“We're working with Mexico. But unfortunately, the cartels run Mexico. I tell that to the president of Mexico. She's not happy. She's a great woman, wonderful woman, but the cartels run Mexico,” Trump said.
Trump said his administration had initially focused on maritime trafficking routes because intercepting drugs transported by sea presented particular enforcement challenges. He claimed that the volume of drugs entering the United States through maritime routes had declined by 97 per cent, although he did not specify the period covered by the comparison or provide supporting data.
“We wanted to do the sea and the water first because the water, that's harder to do,” he said.
The President also defended the use of missiles against vessels suspected of transporting drugs, arguing that the operations had discouraged traffickers from attempting maritime crossings. Describing the strikes, Trump said the missiles hit the targeted boats with considerable precision, while acknowledging the human consequences of such operations.
“Those missiles come and they hit those boats dead center, and you feel terribly for the people,” he said.
Trump justified the campaign by pointing to the damage caused by illegal drugs in American communities, saying narcotics trafficking had contributed to widespread deaths and devastated families. He also joked that the operations had discouraged recreational boating and fishing because people were concerned about being mistaken for drug traffickers.
Turning to the next phase of the campaign, Trump said his administration was preparing to target trafficking routes on land, particularly those associated with Mexican criminal organisations.
“We know all the paths, we know where all the bad guys are, the cartels. We know where they live and we're hitting them hard, but it's going to be harder as we go along,” he said.
Trump suggested that cartel members had been given a limited period to surrender, but did not explain the nature of the warning, the deadline involved or how it would be enforced. He also criticised Mexico's capacity to confront the organisations.
“They know they have a certain period of time to essentially give up. Mexico should be doing it, but honestly, they're not capable of doing it,” he said.
The President separately claimed that fentanyl trafficking across the southern border had fallen by 67 per cent. He credited personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the US Border Patrol with strengthening border security and confronting drug-trafficking organisations.
Trump described the border as the most secure in American history and asserted that illegal crossings had dropped sharply. However, he did not provide detailed figures or supporting evidence during the remarks to substantiate the broader claims.
He also praised National Border Patrol Council President Paul Perez, who addressed the gathering and credited the administration's leadership with improving national security. Perez said the government had extended unprecedented support to first responders and border enforcement personnel.
The remarks underscore the administration's determination to expand its campaign against drug-trafficking networks beyond maritime interceptions to operations targeting routes and organisations on land.
The United States and Mexico share an extensive border and maintain deep economic and security ties. Their cooperation against organised crime has traditionally involved law enforcement coordination, intelligence sharing and efforts to disrupt cross-border trafficking networks. Trump's latest comments highlight the tensions that can arise between the two countries over the scale of cartel influence and the effectiveness of Mexico's response, even as both governments face pressure to curb narcotics trafficking and its consequences.
