Trump Secretly Approved Using Military Force Against Cartels, Report Claims
The New York Times explained that the decision is the most aggressive step taken by the administration, illustrating Trump's willingness to crack down on criminal organizations. It added that the order provides an official basis to conduct military operations at sea and on foreign soil.
Military officials have begun drawing up options, but no clear operations are detailed. Responding to questions about the decision, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said "President Trump's top priority is protecting the homeland, which is why he took the bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations."
It is unclear which cartels the Trump administration could target, but two weeks ago it designated the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles to the list of global terrorist group. It claimed that authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro and other high-ranking officials lead the cartel, and on Thursday Attorney General Pam Bondi raised the reward for information leading to his arrest to $50 million.
It is unclear if the decision to approve the use of military force is a way for the Trump administration to conduct attacks on Venezuelan soil. Bondi said Maduro "will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes."
Trump did say in May he offered to send U.S. troops into Mexico to combat drug cartels, an offer firmly rejected by Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum. "She is so afraid of the cartels she can't even think straight," Trump said Sunday aboard Air Force One, adding that Sheinbaum "can't walk" out of fear of cartel violence in the country. He did, however, describe her as "a lovely woman."
Sheinbaum confirmed the offer on Saturdayduring an event at a university in Mexico: "And do you know what I told him? No, President Trump. The territory cannot be violated. Sovereignty cannot be sold. Sovereignty is cherished and defended. It's not necessary. We can collaborate. We can work together. But you in your territory and us in ours. We can share information, but we will never accept the presence of the United States' army in our territory"
While both countries have cooperated on certain security issues, including allowing U.S. drone flights to identify fentanyl labs, Sheinbaum has consistently rejected any form of military intervention from the United States in Mexican soil. "We don't accept invasions or interference," she said last month. "We are not a protectorate or colony of any foreign country."
Originally published on Latin Times
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
14 minutes ago
- DW
Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska: How is China viewing it? – DW – 08/18/2025
The US-Russia summit in Alaska has offered Beijing an opportunity to draw lessons for its own approach toward dealing with disputes with Washington, say experts. China is closely watching the ongoing US-led diplomatic efforts to stop Russia's war in Ukraine. After US President Donald Trump held talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, White House envoy Steve Witkoff said Moscow had made "some concessions," including agreeing that the US could provide NATO-like protection to Ukraine. Calling it a "historic decision," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the Trump administration's pledge to provide security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy is meeting Trump in Washington, D.C. on Monday, along with a host of key European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Ahead of Monday's meeting, China — a close ally of Russia — called for "all parties" to agree to peace "as soon as possible." "China welcomes all efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis and the contacts between the US and Russia," said Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning in Beijing. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Ja Ian Chong, assistant professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, told DW that the Trump-Putin summit is "a useful point of departure" for Beijing to look at "how Trump negotiates in high-stakes situations." Despite the US pledge of security guarantees for Ukraine, Trump, following talks with Putin, appeared to shift his position from pressuring Russia for a ceasefire to urging Ukraine to accept a final peace deal involving territorial concessions. During the meeting, Putin reportedly offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk — an industrial region that is one of Moscow's main targets. Russia currently controls about 70% of Donetsk territory. Trump later told Fox News that he had advised Ukraine to "make a deal" because "Russia's a very big power and they're not." Zelenskyy reportedly rejected the deal and wrote on X that Russia's refusal to agree to a ceasefire "complicates the situation." Wen-Ti Sung, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, said "it gives off a vibe that everything's up for negotiation," referring to the Trump-Putin summit. "That's music to China's ears because China likes to put those political values [and] differences aside when dealing with other countries. And it seems like that's the way Trump likes too," he added. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video However, Chong said, Trump's "inconsistency" also signals unpredictability to China. "Beijing might also want to treat Trump with some caution because he may take one position in a meeting and then change his mind. And it's not entirely clear in which direction he might change his mind," he said. The US-Russia summit has offered Beijing an opportunity to draw lessons for its own approach toward dealing with disputes with Washington, including tensions over trade, Taiwan and the South China Sea, say experts. Ahead of talks with Putin, Trump told media that Chinese President Xi Jinping once told him China would not invade Taiwan while Trump is in office. The Chinese embassy in Washington later reiterated that the topic of Taiwan is "the most important and sensitive issue" in China-US relations, without referring to Trump's statement. The US and its allies have long sought to deter China from taking military action against Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and has threatened to take over by force if necessary. Taiwan rejects China's sovereignty claims. Chong said Trump's message on the Taiwan issue is probably more geared toward the outside world than Beijing. "What we've seen that is consistent from Trump so far is that he wants to couch himself as some sort of a peacemaker," Chong underlined. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Pointing to Trump's apparent willingness to sacrifice Ukrainian territory to reach a peace deal with Moscow, Sung said, "there's no reason for China to want to pivot away from its existing approach on Ukraine policy." Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, China has portrayed itself as a neutral party in efforts to resolve "the Ukraine crisis" but has faced Western criticism over its close ties to Moscow and alleged support for the invasion. Trump has threatened secondary sanctions on countries that continue to buy Russia's oil, of which China and India remain the two largest buyers. The US president has announced that Washington will raise duties on some Indian goods to as high as 50% — among the highest levied on any US trading partner — citing New Delhi's imports of Russian oil. He has, however, refrained from imposing similar tariffs on China. "Beijing probably feels it has much more leverage than India," Chong said. China-US trade talks were recently extended for another 90 days, moving the deadline to November 10, to address issues including market access, rare earth minerals, and chip exports. Chong said it is unclear how Russia's talks with the US would affect what Beijing and Washington can bring to the table, but he remains "doubtful that China will fundamentally alter its relations with Russia at this point." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DW
34 minutes ago
- DW
Ukraine: Which territorial concessions are under debate? – DW – 08/14/2025
Large areas of eastern and southern Ukraine have been forcibly seized by the Russian army. Why do they matter to Russia? And could some be returned to Ukraine? Ukraine covers a land mass of some 600,000 square kilometers (about 230,600 square miles). But Russia considers Ukraine as 20% smaller, given that it views much of eastern Ukraine as its territory. US President Donald Trump caused some geographical confusion in the run-up to his recent meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska, as he repeatedly referred to it as a meeting "in Russia" — even though the US purchased the state from Russia in 1867. Trump then went on to say that he wanted to arrange a "land swap" between Russia and Ukraine. This is a misnomer, however, as Ukraine does not currently control any Russian territory which it could exchange. Its counteroffensive into Russia's Kursk region, which began in August 2024, is largely over. Ukraine, therefore, has no bargaining chip that would allow it to engage in a land exchange. That's why Ukraine and its allies fear Trump could be aiming for Ukraine to cede territory to Russia. On Monday, Trump is set to receive Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several top European leaders in Washington to further discuss the issue. On Sunday, Trump already made clear on his Truth Social platform that he only partly supports Kyiv's position. "President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight," he wrote, adding: "No going into NATO by Ukraine. […] Some things never change!!!" Thus, he made it clear that he considers both the return of the annexed territory of Crimea to Ukraine to be out of the question, as well as Ukraine joining NATO. According to various international media outlets, Trump and Putin are thought to have agreed at their meeting in Alaska that Ukraine will have to cede the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia in their entirety. Zelenskyy has so far rejected such an outcome. His European allies have called for a ceasefire along the existing frontline. Russia has focused on gaining control over eastern Ukraine in recent years. After the Euromaidan revolution led to the overthrow of Ukraine's pro-Russian government in 2014, Russian troops occupied the Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 in violation of international law. On March 18, Russia officially annexed the territory after a sham referendum. Russian fighters then destabilized Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine's two easternmost regions. Together, these two regions make up Donbas — the Donets River basin, which flows into the Don River in Russia. On February 21, 2022, Russia recognized two self-declared pro-Russian "People's Republics" in Ukraine as independent states. Three days later, Moscow launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine was largely able to repel Russian forces invading from the north during the first months of the war. Yet Russia managed to conquer Ukrainian areas in the east through sheer military might. In addition to about two-thirds of Donetsk and and nearly all of Luhansk, Russia has also taken control over large parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in the southeast, though it does not fully control them. In September 2022, Russia held further sham referendums in all four regions intended to demonstrate the population's supposed desire to join the Russian Federation. A recent Council of Europe report, however, said civilians face violence and coercion in the regions. The report said those who refuse to become Russian citizens are denied access to social services, education and health care. These areas are of geopolitical significance to Russia. The Donbas has coal and ore deposits, making it an important center for the steel and chemical industry. Rare earth deposits, which are also believed to be present here, will likely continue playing a big role in the future, as they are essential for the production of smart technology and renewable energy. The eastern regions also form a land bridge to Crimea, with Ukraine currently cut off from the Sea of Azov. The Donbas region, which has seen fighting since 2014, has gained military significance for Ukraine. This is where Ukraine has built a "fortress belt," which is currently the most important defensive line in the region against Russian forces. Although Russia controls large parts of Donbas, it has not yet been able to breach this defensive structure. Recent talks between the US and Russia have reportedly focused on territorial concessions, with Russia demanding full control over Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for the return of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Yet a recent analysis by the US Institute for the Study of War has warned that giving Russia control of Donetsk would "force Ukraine to abandon its 'fortress belt' […] with no guarantee that fighting will not resume." After holding the sham referendums, Russia amended its constitution to declare the annexed Ukrainian territories part of its own territory. Undoing this step would be fraught with legal and political hurdles and would likely be seen as a defeat by the Russian population. The Ukrainian government, meanwhile, cannot agree to ceding Ukrainian territory. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly cited Article 133 of the Ukrainian constitution, which explicitly lists all regions of the country, including those in the east and south currently occupied by Russia. The constitution contains a separate section on Crimea, granting it partial autonomy. Article 2 of the constitution rules out any renunciation of territory. It states that "the territory of Ukraine within its present border is indivisible and inviolable." Territorial changes can only be approved by a nationwide referendum. Constitutional amendments are only permissible, however, once Ukraine suspends martial law. The Russian and Ukrainian constitutions are, therefore, at odds with each other with regard to Ukraine's eastern regions. Yet, under international law the situation is clear, with lawyers agreeing that Russia's invasion of Ukraine and all sham referendums are illegal. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte recently caused a stir when he told US broadcaster ABC that a future deal could acknowledge that "Russia is controlling de facto, factually some of the territory of Ukraine." Would this mean NATO accepting the surrender of Ukrainian territory and thus the redrawing of borders by brute force in its immediate neighborhood? Rutte said the West "can never accept that in a legal sense," and that only de facto recognition was acceptable. He then drew on the example of US embassies in the Baltic states between 1940 and 1991, when Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were under Soviet occupation. At the time, the US only accepted de facto Soviet control, while still maintaining diplomatic ties to those opposed to the Soviet occupation.
DW
44 minutes ago
- DW
Trump-Putin meeting: How is China viewing it? – DW – 08/18/2025
The US-Russia summit has offered Beijing an opportunity to draw lessons for its own approach toward dealing with disputes with Washington, say experts. China is closely watching the ongoing US-led diplomatic efforts to stop Russia's war in Ukraine. After US President Donald Trump held talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, White House envoy Steve Witkoff said Moscow had made "some concessions," including agreeing that the US could provide NATO-like protection to Ukraine. Calling it a "historic decision," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the Trump administration's pledge to provide security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy is meeting Trump in Washington, D.C. on Monday, along with a host of key European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Ahead of Monday's meeting, China — a close ally of Russia — called for "all parties" to agree to peace "as soon as possible." "China welcomes all efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis and the contacts between the US and Russia," said Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning in Beijing. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Ja Ian Chong, assistant professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, told DW that the Trump-Putin summit is "a useful point of departure" for Beijing to look at "how Trump negotiates in high-stakes situations." Despite the US pledge of security guarantees for Ukraine, Trump, following talks with Putin, appeared to shift his position from pressuring Russia for a ceasefire to urging Ukraine to accept a final peace deal involving territorial concessions. During the meeting, Putin reportedly offered to freeze most front lines if Kyiv ceded all of Donetsk — an industrial region that is one of Moscow's main targets. Russia currently controls about 70% of Donetsk territory. Trump later told Fox News that he had advised Ukraine to "make a deal" because "Russia's a very big power and they're not." Zelenskyy reportedly rejected the deal and wrote on X that Russia's refusal to agree to a ceasefire "complicates the situation." Wen-Ti Sung, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, said "it gives off a vibe that everything's up for negotiation," referring to the Trump-Putin summit. "That's music to China's ears because China likes to put those political values [and] differences aside when dealing with other countries. And it seems like that's the way Trump likes too," he added. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video However, Chong said, Trump's "inconsistency" also signals unpredictability to China. "Beijing might also want to treat Trump with some caution because he may take one position in a meeting and then change his mind. And it's not entirely clear in which direction he might change his mind," he said. The US-Russia summit has offered Beijing an opportunity to draw lessons for its own approach toward dealing with disputes with Washington, including tensions over trade, Taiwan and the South China Sea, say experts. Ahead of talks with Putin, Trump told media that Chinese President Xi Jinping once told him China would not invade Taiwan while Trump is in office. The Chinese embassy in Washington later reiterated that the topic of Taiwan is "the most important and sensitive issue" in China-US relations, without referring to Trump's statement. The US and its allies have long sought to deter China from taking military action against Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and has threatened to take over by force if necessary. Taiwan rejects China's sovereignty claims. Chong said Trump's message on the Taiwan issue is probably more geared toward the outside world than Beijing. "What we've seen that is consistent from Trump so far is that he wants to couch himself as some sort of a peacemaker," Chong underlined. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Pointing to Trump's apparent willingness to sacrifice Ukrainian territory to reach a peace deal with Moscow, Sung said, "there's no reason for China to want to pivot away from its existing approach on Ukraine policy." Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, China has portrayed itself as a neutral party in efforts to resolve "the Ukraine crisis" but has faced Western criticism over its close ties to Moscow and alleged support for the invasion. Trump has threatened secondary sanctions on countries that continue to buy Russia's oil, of which China and India remain the two largest buyers. The US president has announced that Washington will raise duties on some Indian goods to as high as 50% — among the highest levied on any US trading partner — citing New Delhi's imports of Russian oil. He has, however, refrained from imposing similar tariffs on China. "Beijing probably feels it has much more leverage than India," Chong said. China-US trade talks were recently extended for another 90 days, moving the deadline to November 10, to address issues including market access, rare earth minerals, and chip exports. Chong said it is unclear how Russia's talks with the US would affect what Beijing and Washington can bring to the table, but he remains "doubtful that China will fundamentally alter its relations with Russia at this point." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
