Trump Signs Directive That Could Deploy US Military in Mexico: Report
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
President Donald Trump ordered the United States military to target drug cartels and Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) on Friday, prompting concerns over diplomacy and presidential overreach, the New York Times reported.
Citing sources close to the matter, the Times reported that Trump signed an order directing the Pentagon to begin using military force against overseas targets. It's not clear if the order includes language about obtaining Congress' consent.
The Department of Defense declined to comment to Newsweek, deferring to the White House. A White House spokesperson said Trump remains committed to "protecting the homeland".
Newsweek reached out to the Mexican embassy in the U.S. for comment via email Friday afternoon.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration declared multiple cartels and criminal gangs as FTOs earlier this year, saying the designation was necessary to counter their activities in the U.S., including fentanyl trafficking.
Using the military to target the groups would mark a significant escalation in enforcement—one that could significantly impact relations with two countries: Mexico and Venezuela.
President Donald Trump departs an event to honor recipients of the Purple Heart in the East Room of the White House on August 07, 2025 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump departs an event to honor recipients of the Purple Heart in the East Room of the White House on August 07, 2025 in Washington, DC.What To Know
The order signed by Trump reportedly provides an official basis for direct military operations at sea and on foreign soil against cartels, which would likely mean in the Gulf of Mexico and potentially within Mexico itself.
Making such moves without the approval of Congress opens up legal questions about whether the military could be seen as murdering suspected cartel members, rather than acting in the defense of the U.S., the Times noted.
"Previous efforts to escalate the war on drugs through partnered operations in Colombia and Mexico failed to eliminate drug trafficking organizations or stem the flow of illicit drugs into the United States," Brandan Buck, Cato Institute foreign policy research fellow, told Newsweek. "Unilateral action would assuredly fail to stem the flow of drugs into the United States while causing significant diplomatic fallout."
The justification for the shift would likely be ongoing efforts to cut off fentanyl smuggling, which continues to impact American communities, with the synthetic opioid linked to thousands of deaths.
When Secretary of State Marco Rubio first declared eight groups as terrorist organizations in February, he opened up the possibility of military action against the MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gangs, as well as dominant cartels including Sinaloa and Jalisco, for their roles in fentanyl trafficking, murders and other violent crimes across the U.S.
At the time, experts told Newsweek that the designation could prompt dangerous blowback from the cartels, putting the lives of Americans living and working in Mexico and Venezuela at risk.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also criticized the FTO designation, saying it could infringe on Mexican sovereignty. Trump's reported directive on Friday now opens the door to the possibility of American troops crossing the border into her country.
Trump's latest order comes after the administration designated the Venezuelan-based Cartel de los Soles as an FTO late last month, alleging that it's led by the country's president, Nicolás Maduro.
What People Are Saying
Henry Ziemer, associate fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Newsweek: "Certainly the most extreme possibility would be that the United States could use this directive to target members of the Venezuelan government and military up to and including President Nicolas Maduro, now linked to the "Cartel de los Soles" now designated by the Treasury as a global terrorist entity.
"For the time being, I do not believe this is a likely outcome given the Trump administration's aversion to entanglement in major overseas military operations. Nevertheless, these reports are undoubtedly causing sleepless nights for the regime."
Buck told Newsweek: "This move, if true, will likely reignite debates on Capitol Hill about the use of military force as it bypasses Congress's prerogative to declare war."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to Newsweek: "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."
What's Next
As of Friday afternoon, the Trump administration has not made an official announcement regarding the directive, making it unclear if Congress would be consulted on the matter.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
15 minutes ago
- Washington Post
How Texas Democrats' walkout has launched a fight across the US over political maps
AUSTIN, Texas — A weeklong walkout by Texas House Democrats is blocking redrawn congressional maps sought by President Donald Trump and put in motion a broadening fight across the U.S. over redistricting. There is still no swift end in sight to the standoff that has scattered dozens of Texas Democrats to Illinois, New York and California, where they have been given a warm reception by blue state governors and national party leaders.
Associated Press
15 minutes ago
- Associated Press
How Texas Democrats' walkout has launched a fight across the US over political maps
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A weeklong walkout by Texas House Democrats is blocking redrawn congressional maps sought by President Donald Trump and put in motion a broadening fight across the U.S. over redistricting. There is still no swift end in sight to the standoff that has scattered dozens of Texas Democrats to Illinois, New York and California, where they have been given a warm reception by blue state governors and national party leaders. As the holdout has dragged on, Texas Republicans have ratcheted up the pressure to try compelling them back. GOP state leaders have asked courts to remove absent Democratic lawmakers from office, issued civil arrest warrants and mobilized state troopers. It is a political fight that has now spanned in state legislatures across the nation — from California to Florida — as Trump seeks to gain more winnable U.S. House seats and preserve the GOP's slim majority after the 2026 midterm elections. Here's what to know. How the Texas walkout began On Aug. 3, Texas House Democrats fled to Illinois, Massachusetts and New York to stop the GOP-controlled state legislature from passing new U.S. House maps that would give Texas Republicans more winnable seats in 2026. The chamber needs at least 100 of its 150 members to do businesses. The Democratic Party has taken advantage of this by orchestrating the majority of its 62 members to remain outside the state. On Friday, there were 95 members present — five short of a quorum. Congressional maps are typically redrawn once every 10 years to coincide with population shifts captured by the census and is rare for it to occur in the middle of the decade. Democrats say the unusual mid-cycle redistricting is a partisan power grab by the Trump administration What other states are doing California Gov. Gavin Newsom is scrambling to call for a November special election to ask voters to redraw the state's maps in retaliation if Texas proceeds. Govs. Kathy Hochul of New York and JB Pritzker of Illinois have also said they would consider partisan redistricting. Republicans are considering their own countereffort, too. In Florida, the speaker of the house said the chamber will take up this issue in a special redistricting committee this fall, and Vice President JD Vance met with Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Braun to discuss redistricting. How Texas Republicans are trying to punish Democrats Texas Democrats face fines of up to $500 each day they are absent from the chamber, a rule that was adopted after the party walked in 2021 over a bill that tightened voting restrictions. Abbott asked the state Supreme Court to vacate the office of the House Democratic leader. Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday asked the court to remove 13 members who walked out from office, on top of issuing civil arrest warrants. Democratic lawmakers have largely scoffed at threats of their arrests and attempts to remove them from office. The special session ends on Aug. 19. The governor has threatened to keep calling lawmakers into special sessions until Democrats return. What is at stake For Trump, gaining additional Republican-leaning districts can help him potentially avoid a repeat of the 2018 midterms, when Democrats reclaimed the U.S. House and proceeded to thwart his agenda and impeach him twice. Republicans currently hold 219 seats, and Democrats have 212. Four seats are vacant. Republicans hold 25 of Texas' 38 congressional seats and are seeking to pick up five more. ___ Lathan is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Energy officials say termination of Solar for All program will hurt low-income Mainers
(Stock photo by Sirisak Boakaew/ Getty Images) Maine energy officials on Friday decried the Trump administration's announcement it will cancel nearly $7 billion in grants to fund solar energy projects for low-income households, saying it will raise costs for Maine people, particularly those with lower incomes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent notices to states and other recipients of grants through the Solar for All program, which Democrats created in their massive 2022 taxes, energy and domestic policy law, that the agency was canceling all unspent funds from the initiative. The EPA said Republicans eliminated the federal fund that distributed the program's money in the 'one big, beautiful' law President Donald Trump signed on July 4. 'Thousands of Maine people stood to benefit from lower energy bills delivered by the Solar for All program,' said Dan Burgess, director of the Governor's Energy Office. 'Terminating this funding doesn't help Maine people, it only hurts them.' In April 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded Maine $62 million through the federal Solar for All program that supports the state's clean energy workforce, in addition to expanding solar to low-income households. Just last month, the EPA approved the state's plan to implement the program so benefits could reach Mainers by 2026, according to a Friday news release from the Governor's Energy Office. However, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced on social media that the new law terminated the agency's legal ability to distribute the funds. 'The bottom line again is this: EPA no longer has the authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive,' Zeldin said in a video posted to X. 'With clear language and intent from Congress in the one big, beautiful bill, EPA is taking action to end this program for good. We are committed to the rule of law and being a good steward of taxpayer dollars.' Solar for All was projected to help over 20,000 low-income Maine households save between $380 and $1,400 annually on their energy bills through incentives for rooftop solar and a new community solar and storage program. Solar can lower costs and improve reliability by reducing demand on the electrical grid, lowering wholesale energy prices and circumventing the need for costly transmission and distribution investments, the state energy office noted. It also lessens the reliance on fossil fuels, which come with volatile price tags while exacerbating climate change. Part of the funding was also earmarked to support workforce training for over 700 Maine residents in essential building trades including electrical work, construction, maintenance and repair. 'Canceling the program deprives Maine of access to affordable solar, energy storage, and the skilled electricians, installers, and construction workers needed to meet our energy and economic needs now and in the future,' Burgess said. He added that the state remains committed to the program and will explore options to preserve it. His office is consulting with the Office of the Maine Attorney General on next steps. When Maine received its Solar for All grant in 2024, the state had 977 megawatts of solar energy installed, an increase from the 62 megawatts that were in place five years earlier. The majority of solar arrays in Maine are small-scale, less than 5 megawatts. Democrats created the Solar for All fund as part of the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund in the law they passed without any GOP support in either chamber and President Joe Biden signed in August 2022. The Solar for All fund was meant to bring the benefits of solar power to 900,000 households in low-income communities, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Asked about the program's termination, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins told the Portland Press Herald it 'would be unfortunate news,' but that underscored the risk of including such a grant program in a 'completely partisan bill.' 'Not one Republican voted for the Inflation Reduction Act that included this grant program,' Collins reportedly said. 'While it is no surprise now that control of the White House has changed that the new administration would consider terminating this IRA program, my staff has asked the EPA for additional information.' According to a list on the EPA website, the awardees included the Executive Office of the State of New Hampshire; Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources; the Maine Governor's Energy Office; the Alaska Energy Authority; the Oregon Department of Energy; Washington State Department of Commerce; Bonneville Environmental Foundation in Idaho; Tanana Chiefs Conference in Alaska; New Jersey Board of Public Utilities; Maryland Clean Energy Center; Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority; Virginia Department of Energy; West Virginia Office of Energy; Department of Environment and Conservation Tennessee; Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet; North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality; South Carolina Office of Resilience; the Solar and Energy Loan Fund of St. Lucie County, Inc., in Florida; the Capital Good Fund in Georgia; Minnesota Department of Commerce; the State of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy; the State of Ohio Office of Budget and Management State Accounting; Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation; Indiana Community Action Association Inc.; New Mexico Energy, Minerals, & Natural Resources Department; State of Louisiana Department of Natural Resources; Hope Enterprise Corporation in Arkansas; the Missouri Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority; the Center for Rural Affairs in Nebraska; Colorado Energy Office; Utah Office of Energy Development; Bonneville Environmental Foundation in Montana; Coalition for Green Capital in North Dakota; Coalition for Green Capital in South Dakota; Executive Office of the State of Arizona; Nevada Clean Energy Fund; Hopi Utilities Corporation in Arizona; and other programs that covered multiple states and tribes. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Solve the daily Crossword
