Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is “so scared of the cartels she can’t walk,” President Trump has said, as he confirmed that he did indeed offer US military assistance to fight the cartels in Mexico.
Sheinbaum spoke at a university event on Saturday and addressed a Wall Street Journal report that claimed President Trump has been pushing for greater US military involvement in fighting the cross-border drug trade.
“In one of the calls, (Trump) said, ‘How can we help you fight drug trafficking? I propose that the U.S. Army come in to help you,’” said Sheinbaum.
“And you know what I told him? No, President Trump, the territory is sacrosanct, sovereignty is sacrosanct, sovereignty is not for sale, sovereignty is loved and defended.”
Sheinbaum added that, although Mexico and the US should collaborate against the cartels, “we will never accept the presence of the United States military in our territory.”
In response to Sheinbaum’s claim, President Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday that he had indeed offered to send “troops into Mexico to take care of the cartels.”
Trump said that Sheinbaum is “so afraid of the cartel she can’t walk,” but added that he believes the Mexican president is “a lovely woman.”
“She is so afraid of the cartels she can’t even think straight,” he added.
At the start of his second term, President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Mexican goods in an effort to force the Mexican government to deal with the cartels and their role in the cross-border drug trade and illegal migration.
In February, the US government designated a number of Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, in a move designed to enhance the range of options available for dealing with them, including the use of military force.
Aerial surveillance of the cartels has since been increased, as well as intelligence-gathering efforts.
In response, President Sheinbaum has proposed constitutional reforms to bolster Mexican national sovereignty.