The president escalates rhetoric on cross-border military action as Operation Southern Spear intensifies tensions with Mexico and Venezuela.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — November 18, 2025.
President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States “knows the addresses of every cartel leader” in Mexico and would be willing to launch military strikes to stop the flow of drugs into the country — remarks that immediately stirred diplomatic concerns across the region.
Asked directly whether he would authorize attacks inside Mexican territory, Trump replied:
“I’m not saying I’m going to do it… but I’d be proud to do it. I’d be proud, because we would save millions of lives.”
Trump said the U.S. is “losing hundreds of thousands of people a year” to drug-related deaths and insisted Mexico “knows where I stand.”
The president also referenced recent unrest in Mexico City, saying he saw “major problems” in the capital over the weekend after images of violent clashes during the Generation Z march reached international media.
Trump pointed to what he called major progress on maritime interdiction:
“Almost no drugs come in by sea anymore — down 85%. And we know the rest. We know every corridor, every trafficker, every door they use.”
The comments mark a significant shift in tone, as Trump had previously praised Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for cooperating with the U.S. in anti-narcotics efforts.
OPERATION SOUTHERN SPEAR: TENSIONS RISE WITH VENEZUELA
Trump’s remarks came as the administration continues Operation Southern Spear, a large-scale U.S. counter-narcotics campaign across Latin America.
Since September, U.S. forces have destroyed around 20 vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, near Venezuela and Colombia, killing more than 70 people the administration labels “narco-terrorists.”
The operation has heightened fears of a U.S. strike inside Venezuelan territory, a scenario that analysts warn could trigger a regional crisis.
During the same Oval Office briefing, Trump said he is open to talking with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but emphasized that all options remain on the table:
“I don’t rule anything out. We simply have to take care of Venezuela.”
