The Trump administration is actively evaluating a range of military options to counter the growing threat posed by Mexican drug cartels, according to current and former US officials familiar with the discussions. This consideration marks a potential and dramatic escalation of US involvement in Latin America, raising complex questions about sovereignty, international relations, and the future of US-Mexico cooperation on security.

Reports indicate that the administration’s plans span a broad spectrum-from naval destroyers launching missile strikes targeting cartel leaders and infrastructure, to more traditional partnerships with Mexican authorities aimed at dismantling the criminal networks. A senior US official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject, described these military strike options as “audacious” and possibly unlikely to receive presidential approval without careful deliberation.

Another US official clarified that there are no plans to deploy US ground troops inside Mexico. Instead, if military action is authorized, the favored tactics would involve drone strikes or naval operations designed to degrade cartel capabilities while avoiding direct combat involvement on Mexican soil.

These discussions are not a recent development but trace back to early in the Trump administration. A multi-agency working group, involving personnel from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and other key federal agencies, has been established to analyze the feasibility and potential impacts of a military approach. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was reportedly briefed weeks ago on these military options, though no immediate action appears imminent.

This strategic pivot comes in the wake of the administration’s decision earlier this year to designate eight Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). On the first day of his presidency, President Donald Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency, emphasizing that these cartels posed “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”

Following this, the administration escalated surveillance operations, increasing drone flights over Mexico and along the US southern border. The US military has deployed thousands of

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