Trump Administration Orders U.S. Military to Prepare Strikes on Mexican Cartels

By The Blogging Hounds The Trump administration has reportedly issued directives for the U.S. military to prepare lethal operations targeting Mexican drug cartels, according to investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein. Initiated in late spring 2025, these plans task Northern Command (NORTHCOM) with developing strike options by mid-September, focusing on the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels,…

By The Blogging Hounds

The Trump administration has reportedly issued directives for the U.S. military to prepare lethal operations targeting Mexican drug cartels, according to investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein. Initiated in late spring 2025, these plans task Northern Command (NORTHCOM) with developing strike options by mid-September, focusing on the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, the two most powerful criminal organizations destabilizing North America.

President Trump formally designated these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) early in his term, a move that expands the legal and operational framework for U.S. action. The State Department officially labeled groups like Cartel de Sinaloa and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion as FTOs in February 2025, aligning with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s stance that these criminal networks are armed terrorist entities, not mere drug traffickers. This classification opens the door for more aggressive national security measures, including potential U.S. military strikes inside Mexico.

While U.S.-Mexico military relations remain broadly cooperative, any unilateral action on Mexican soil is politically explosive. High-level meetings, including a July 2025 session at NORTHCOM headquarters, emphasized the need for joint, coordinated responses. NORTHCOM Commander Gen. Gregory M. Guillot told Congress in February 2025 that cartels threaten U.S. sovereignty through drug trafficking and migration facilitation. He highlighted intensified intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) efforts, as well as unprecedented operational compatibility with Mexican forces.

The CIA has increased drone reconnaissance over Mexico, targeting fentanyl production facilities and supporting broader counter-cartel campaigns. Historically, U.S. operations in Mexico were limited to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) targeted actions. Now, NORTHCOM’s Special Operations Command North is reportedly preparing target packages for potential air, drone, or ground strikes against high-value cartel assets.

The urgency of these preparations is clear: fentanyl trafficking continues to fuel a U.S. public health crisis, with provisional data showing over 82,000 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending January 2025, following a slight dip from 80,400 in 2024. The intelligence community’s March 2025 threat assessment labeled Western Hemisphere-based transnational criminal organizations as the most immediate danger to U.S. national security.

In April 2025, Gen. Guillot testified that despite enhanced ISR and intelligence frameworks, fentanyl-related deaths have not decreased significantly. He requested additional ISR resources and expanded authorities for advise-and-assist operations with elite Mexican units. Mexico has allowed limited U.S. special forces training, including deployments in early 2025 to prepare for counter-cartel operations, but full approval for lethal strikes remains politically sensitive.

Officials describe the administration’s approach as treating cartel activity akin to an invasion threat, justifying preparations similar to post-9/11 counterterrorism measures. Sources indicate that President Trump prioritizes results, signaling a willingness to act decisively on national security outcomes even in the face of potential diplomatic backlash.

Military planning reportedly integrates coordination with the FBI, homeland security agencies, and the intelligence community, creating a multi-agency strike framework. Potential operations could involve direct action by U.S. special forces, mirroring the tactics used in other regions against high-value targets.

The Trump administration’s moves mark an unprecedented escalation in the fight against transnational crime, elevating Mexican cartels to the level of foreign enemies threatening U.S. national security. With the fentanyl crisis reaching historic highs, and NORTHCOM taking a central operational role, the coming months may reveal whether the U.S. is prepared to project lethal force across borders in defense of its citizens — a sharp departure from decades of caution and diplomatic restraint.

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