Recent reports indicated that the US president allegedly pressured Mexico to accept US military presence to combat drug cartels.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has turned down US President Donald Trump’s offer to send troops into Mexico to fight drug cartels. She affirmed Mexico’s willingness to cooperate but emphasized that it would never accept being “subordinate” to the United States.
Sheinbaum’s remarks followed a Wall Street Journal article on Saturday alleging that Trump had pressured her to permit US military operations within Mexican territory. The report detailed a phone call in mid-April where Trump reportedly advocated for deploying troops to fight cartels involved in fentanyl smuggling. Sources say Sheinbaum rejected the proposal, resulting in a tense exchange.
Sheinbaum addressed the report and clarified her stance at a university event on Saturday.
“It is true… he said, ‘I propose that the US army enter to help.’ And you know what I told him? No, President Trump, our territory is inalienable, our sovereignty is inalienable, our sovereignty is not for sale!” she stated.
She added that if Trump wishes to assist, he should focus on stopping the flow of weapons from the US into Mexico.
A White House statement released on Saturday mentioned the close collaboration between Sheinbaum and Trump “to achieve the most secure southwest border in history” but did not comment on the alleged troop offer.
“The president has been crystal clear that Mexico must do more to combat these gangs and cartels, and the US stands ready to assist and expand the already close cooperation between our two countries,” the statement said.
Trump has consistently accused Mexico of failing to stop drug cartels from smuggling fentanyl into the US. During his presidential campaign last year, he promised to clamp down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking. He later asserted that Mexico is “essentially run by the cartels,” and even suggested the US should “wage war” on them.
To exert pressure, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on all Mexican imports. These were later suspended for goods covered under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, including items like food, medical equipment, clothing, chemicals, and machinery. However, a separate 25% tariff on Mexican car imports is still in effect. Besides tariffs, the US has also imposed sanctions on cartel members and related entities.
In February, Sheinbaum agreed to deploy 10,000 troops to fight fentanyl smuggling and help curb illegal border crossings. That same month, Mexico extradited 29 suspected cartel members to the US.