Mexico Rejects Trump’s Call for US Military Strikes on Cartels

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday firmly dismissed the idea of allowing US military strikes on Mexican soil, after US President Donald Trump suggested he was willing to use force to stop drug flows into the United States.

“It’s not going to happen,” Sheinbaum said, emphasising that Mexico will not permit “any intervention by a foreign government,” even while remaining open to intelligence cooperation.

Sheinbaum added that Trump has raised the idea of military intervention “on various occasions,” but she has consistently told him — and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio — that Mexican authorities alone operate within Mexican territory.

Trump, expressing dissatisfaction with Mexico’s handling of drug cartels, said Monday, “Would I want strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? OK with me. Whatever we have to do.”

Hours later, the US Embassy in Mexico posted a video highlighting Rubio’s earlier statement that the US “would not take unilateral action” inside Mexico.

Tension Mounts After Mysterious Restricted-Area Signs Appear

Diplomatic concerns escalated after witnesses reported that men arriving by boat on Monday placed US Department of Defense “Restricted Area” signs on a beach in northeast Mexico.

Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed the navy removed six signs, which were apparently on Mexican territory. The incident prompted involvement from the International Boundary and Water Commission, which oversees the official border.

The Pentagon said contractors were marking the “National Defense Area III” near where the Rio Grande meets the Gulf of Mexico, but changes in terrain may have caused confusion about the exact border line. It acknowledged the misunderstanding and said contractors would coordinate better to avoid future disputes.

Border Sensitivities Rising

The location lies near SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, which is under contract with NASA and the US Department of Defense. Mexico previously raised concerns about debris from SpaceX rockets landing on its side of the border.

The issue also emerges amid renewed irritation over Trump’s controversial proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America — a move Mexico has flatly rejected.

As diplomatic channels work to clarify the border signage incident, Sheinbaum reiterated that Mexico’s sovereignty is non-negotiable — even as both nations navigate heightened tensions linked to cartel violence, border security, and shifting political rhetoric in Washington.