Washington, D.C. — January 9, 2026
In a dramatic escalation of his administration’s war on drugs, President Donald Trump announced that the United States will soon shift its military operations against Mexican drug cartels from sea to land, declaring that the cartels are “running Mexico” and responsible for hundreds of thousands of American deaths annually.
During an exclusive interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday evening, Trump stated: “We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water, and we are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico—it’s very, very sad to watch what’s happened to that country.”
Trump claimed that cartels are killing 250,000 to 300,000 Americans each year through fentanyl and other drugs, a figure that significantly exceeds official estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which reported around 100,000 to 110,000 total drug overdose deaths in recent years, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl accounting for the majority.
The president’s remarks come just days after a high-profile U.S. military operation on January 3 that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas. Maduro was transported to New York to face drug-trafficking charges. The Venezuela raid, which involved strikes on infrastructure and a special forces apprehension team, has been linked by the administration to broader efforts against narco-terrorism in Latin America.
Trump’s second term has seen aggressive actions against drug trafficking networks. On his first day in office, January 20, 2025, he signed an executive order directing the designation of major Mexican cartels—including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Gulf Cartel, and others—as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). This was formalized in February 2025, unlocking enhanced military, financial, and intelligence tools.
Prior operations focused on maritime interdictions in the Pacific and Caribbean, where U.S. forces struck dozens of suspected drug-running vessels. Trump touted these efforts as having interdicted nearly all sea-based trafficking, paving the way for the announced pivot to “hitting land.”
The potential for U.S. strikes inside Mexico has heightened tensions with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has repeatedly emphasized her country’s sovereignty. Sheinbaum has condemned unilateral interventions, stating that Mexico cooperates on security issues—including extraditions and seizures—but rejects foreign military action on its soil. Following the Venezuela operation, she reaffirmed that “sovereignty and self-determination of peoples are not optional or negotiable.”
Analysts warn that any unilateral U.S. ground or air operations in Mexico could strain bilateral relations, escalate cartel violence, and risk regional instability. Mexico remains the U.S.’s top trading partner, and the two nations are co-hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada.
Trump framed the campaign as essential to protecting American lives from what he describes as an invasion of deadly drugs devastating communities. However, experts note that while fentanyl remains the primary driver of the U.S. overdose crisis, recent data show a decline in deaths, potentially due to reduced potency in street supplies and other factors.
As the administration prepares for this next phase, questions remain about congressional authorization, international law, and the long-term consequences for U.S.-Mexico ties. The White House has not provided specific details on the timing or nature of planned land operations.
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