Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Michael Ciaglo
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has firmly rejected a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump to send American troops into Mexico to combat drug trafficking, stating emphatically that “sovereignty is not for sale.”
Sheinbaum’s remarks, made during a press conference on Saturday, were in response to a Wall Street Journal report that revealed Trump had pushed for deeper U.S. military involvement inside Mexico to target the cartels fueling drug and fentanyl trafficking across the border.
“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,’” Sheinbaum recalled, reiterating her refusal to allow foreign troops on Mexican soil.
While cooperation between the two nations has increased in other areas—especially on immigration and trade—Sheinbaum’s stance signals a potentially sharp turn in bilateral relations, especially if Trump returns to the White House, told Newsweek.
“We can work together, but you in your territory and us in ours,” Sheinbaum said, drawing applause from the crowd. She doubled down, saying, “We will never accept the presence of the United States military in our territory.”
On Sunday, Trump confirmed Sheinbaum’s account while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. “Well she’s so afraid of the cartels she can’t walk, so you know that’s the reason. And I think she’s a lovely woman. The president of Mexico is a lovely woman, but she is so afraid of the cartels that she can’t even think straight,” he said.
Trump has long advocated for tougher U.S. involvement at the southern border, and during his presidency, the military presence there increased. His administration even labeled several Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in February 2019, a move that allowed law enforcement to take more aggressive action.
From 2015 to 2021, drug-related murders in Mexico rose sharply—from about 8,000 to 23,500 annually, according to the Mexican Peace Index. These alarming figures have kept cartel violence at the forefront of both countries’ political agendas.
Despite pressure, Sheinbaum’s firm rejection of U.S. military intervention marks a bold assertion of national autonomy—one that could shape the next chapter of U.S.–Mexico relations.
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