She says Trump proposed sending troops to help Mexico fight drug trafficking.
Mexico's president says she rejected Trump's plan to send US troops across the border
FILE - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum attends her morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)
MEXICO CITY -- MEXICO CITY (AP) — President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico said on Saturday that U.S. President Donald Trump proposed sending American troops into Mexico to help her administration fight drug trafficking but that she rejected it.
Her remarks to supporters in eastern Mexico came in response to a Wall Street Journal article published the day before, describing a tense phone call last month in which Trump reportedly pressured her to accept a bigger role for the U.S. military in combating drug cartels in Mexico.
“He said, ‘How can we help you fight drug trafficking? I propose that the United States military come in and help you.’ And you know what I said to him? ‘No, President Trump.'"
She added: “Sovereignty is not for sale. Sovereignty is loved and defended."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sheinbaum's remarks.
The U.S. military presence has increased steadily along its southern border with Mexico in recent months, following Trump’s order in January to increase the army's role in stemming the flow of migrants.
The U.S. Northern Command has surged troops and equipment to the border, increased manned surveillance flights to monitor fentanyl trafficking along the border and sought expanded authority for U.S. Special Forces to work closely with Mexican forces conducting operations against cartels.
Trump designated many of the gangs and cartels smuggling drugs into the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations on Feb. 19, restricting their movements and lending law enforcement more resources to act against them.
But Sheinbaum’s hardline stance Saturday signaled that U.S. pressure for unilateral military intervention would put her and Trump on a collision course after months of cooperation on immigration and trade.
“We can work together, but you in your territory and us in ours,” Sheinbaum said.
To a burst of applause, she added: “We will never accept the presence of the United States military in our territory."
JimiSlew3 on May 4th, 2025 at 15:01 UTC »
A secretary of defense from his first term talked about this in 2022:
"The president pulls me aside on at least a couple of occasions and suggests that maybe we have the U.S. military shoot missiles into Mexico… to go after the cartels." Esper tells Norah O'Donnell in an interview airing Sunday on 60 Minutes.
"We would have this private discussion where I'd say, 'Mr. President, you know, I understand the motive.' Because he was very serious about dealing with drugs in America," Esper says. "I get that, we all understand, but I had to explain to him, 'We-- we can't do that. It would violate international law. It would be terrible for our neighbors to the south. It would, you know, impact us in so many ways. Why-- why don't we do this instead?'"
After Esper politely pushed back, he says President Trump told him, "No one would know it was us."
"He said that," Esper tells O'Donnell. "And I just thought it was fanciful, right? Because, of course, it would be us."
Esper writes about the incident in his new book, "A Sacred Oath," despite concerns people wouldn't believe it happened.
"I was reluctant to tell this story," Esper says. "Because I think I thought, people won't believe this. That they'll think I'm just making it up and folks in Trump's orbit will dispute it."
Red-Stone-1990 on May 4th, 2025 at 12:44 UTC »
Declaring War on Mexico, is that part of Project 25 ?
Glum-Breadfruit-6421 on May 4th, 2025 at 12:31 UTC »
You know they’re not leaving if you let them in. Use the same rules as dealing with vampires, do not invite them into your home.