President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum refused an offer to send troops to Mexico to help fight the cartel because he fears it.
Speaking to Air Force 1 reporters, Trump criticized Sinbaum for rejecting his offer, saying he had the idea of sending US troops to deal with Mexican cartels promoting drug trafficking.
“She’s so afraid of the cartels that can’t walk…and I think she’s a lovely woman. The president of Mexico is a lovely woman, but she’s so afraid of the cartel that she can’t even think straight,” Trump said.
His response came after Sinbaum confirmed last month that Trump had put pressure on her on the phone to allow Trump to play a bigger role in his drug cartel efforts in Mexico.
Mexican president rejects Trump’s US military offer to help fight drug cartels
President Donald Trump said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum refused the offer to send our troops to Mexico to fight the country’s cartels because of her fears. (AP)
Sinbaum said Mexico told Trump that he would “never accept” the presence of the US military.
“No, President Trump, our territory is intransitable and sovereignty is intransitable,” Sinbaum argued. “We can work together. We can work together, but we can work together on your territory and with us on our territory.
There was a bigger presence of American troops on the US-Mexican border after Trump issued an order in January to increase the role of the Army in slowing down the flow of illegal immigration to the United States.
The roadmap for conservative groups shows how Trump can use military to stop the cartel
President Donald Trump spoke before speaking with reporters in Air Force 1 on his way back to Washington on Sunday from West Palm Beach, Florida. (AP)
In addition to fighting illegal immigration, Trump said the US military is necessary to slow down the amount of fentanyl being brought into the United States by drug cartels.
“They’re bad news,” Trump said Sunday. “If Mexico was seeking the help of the cartel, we would be honored to do it. I said I would be honored to enter her and do it. The cartels are trying to destroy our country. They are evil.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told Trump at the time that Mexico “doesn’t accept” the existence of US military forces. (AP image)
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The US Northern Command has deployed troops and equipment on the southern border, increased the increase in manned surveillance flights to monitor fentanyl trafficking along the border, and called for the expansion rights of US special forces to work closely with Mexican forces operating against the cartels.
In February, Trump designated many gangs and cartels smuggling into the United States as “foreign terrorist organizations,” giving law enforcement more resources to take action against the group.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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