President Trump on Sunday confirmed he offered to send troops into Mexico, but said the country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, is terrified of the cartels.
A day earlier, Sheinbaum had said that she rejected an offer from Trump for American troops to be shipped south of the border for the purpose of combating drug trafficking.
“And do you know what I told him? No, President Trump,” she said. “The territory cannot be violated. Sovereignty cannot be sold. Sovereignty is cherished and defended.”
Republicans have long floated the idea of U.S. military intervention in Mexican territory, a suggestion vehemently rejected by multiple Mexican administrations.
In February, Trump fulfilled a campaign promise by designating several Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. Members of his administration have also talked about potential drone strikes on the groups.
“Mexico is saying that I offered to send U.S. troops into Mexico to take care of the cartel, she wants to know, is that true?” he said back to a reporter Sunday on Air Force One, later adding that “it’s true.”
Trump said that Sheinbaum is “so afraid of the cartel she can’t walk,” but added that he believes the Mexican president is “a lovely woman.”
“She is so afraid of the cartels she can’t even think straight,” he added.
The Hill has reached out the Mexican government for a response.
Sheinbaum on Saturday had said that U.S. military action inside Mexico is both unacceptable and “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,” she said.
Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on Mexico earlier in the year over an argument that is not doing enough to stop fentanyl from coming into the U.S. However, a significant amount of goods covered under a prior trade agreement are exempted from the levies.
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