Donald Trump May Send US Troops To Mexico To Target Drug Cartels, CIA Likely To Take Part

Last Updated:November 03, 2025, 20:49 IST

Trump administration officials have said that the deployment is not imminent but early stages of training for the potential mission has begun.

US Army soldiers from Ft. Riley, Kansas, put up razor wire fence for an encampment to be used by the military near the US-Mexico border in Donna, Texas, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE)

US President Donald Trump is planning to deploy the US army and intelligence officers to Mexico as part of a new push to tackle drug trafficking and the addiction crisis crippling America.

Two serving and two former senior US officials said the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is also likely to be involved in the mission. They added that the Trump administration has begun detailed planning for the operation targeting Mexican drug cartels.

They also said that the early stages of training for the potential mission has already begun. They pointed out that the mission would include ground operations inside Mexico but highlighted that a deployment to Mexico is not imminent.

They told broadcaster NBC News, who first reported the development, that the discussions regarding the scope of the mission are ongoing and a final decision is yet to be made.

The broadcaster, citing two people working within the Trump administration, reported that the US troops will mostly be from the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and would operate under the authority of the US intelligence community, known as Title 50 status.

Under the planned mission, US troops in Mexico would rely primarily on drone strikes to target drug labs, cartel members, and leaders, though some drones require operators on the ground to function effectively, officials said.

In February, the State Department designated six Mexican cartels, MS-13, and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua as foreign terrorist organizations, granting U.S. spy and military agencies broad authority for covert operations. Trump has also acknowledged authorizing CIA action in Venezuela and said his administration could strike cartel targets on land there.

Can the US Legally Send Troops Into Mexico?

The US military has entered Mexico only a few times, most notably in 1916, when General John J. Pershing led the “Punitive Expedition" to chase revolutionary leader Pancho Villa after he attacked a US town. That was the last major cross-border operation of its kind.

Since then, the US has limited itself to intelligence sharing, training, and surveillance, mainly under the Mérida Initiative (2008 onwards). Washington cannot legally deploy troops without Mexico’s consent and Mexico has consistently opposed any foreign military presence.

If Trump’s plan moves ahead, it would mark the first US military deployment inside Mexico in over a century.

Not Eyeing War Against Venezuela, Says Trump

The development comes as the US amasses military units in the Caribbean and has conducted multiple strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels, killing dozens.

Meanwhile, the US President told broadcaster CBS News that he “doubts" US would fight a full-scale war against Venezuela but suggested that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s hold on power might be coming to an end.

“I doubt it. I don’t think so," Trump said during the “60 Minutes" program when asked about going to war with Venezuela. But when pressed on whether Maduro’s days as president were numbered, he replied, “I would say yeah. I think so, yeah."

Maduro, who faces a US indictment on drug charges, has accused Washington of using the drug trafficking issue as a cover to pursue regime change in Caracas and seize Venezuelan oil.

In recent weeks, US forces have carried out more than 15 strikes on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific, killing at least 65 people. The latest strike took place on Saturday, drawing criticism from governments across the region.

Experts say the attacks, which began in early September, amount to extrajudicial killings, even if they are aimed at suspected drug traffickers.

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