Mexico’s President Rejects Trump’s Push To Send US Troops Across Border

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Saturday that she flatly rejected a proposal from President Donald Trump to allow American troops into Mexico to combat drug cartels.

Trump pressed Mexico to let U.S. troops lead the fight against drug cartels, but President Sheinbaum refused to allow a military presence, agreeing only to share intelligence, according to The Wall Street Journal. Sheinbaum responded to the Wall Street Journal article and recounted a recent phone call in which Trump offered military assistance to crack down on trafficking operations.

“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, The Associated Press (AP) reported. “Sovereignty is not for sale. Sovereignty is loved and defended.”

White House National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt later released a statement defending Trump’s position, calling for increased collaboration with Mexico.

“Dangerous Foreign Terrorist Organizations, however, continue to threaten our shared security and the drugs and crime they spread threaten American communities across the country,” the statement said, AP reported. “The President has been crystal clear that Mexico must do more do combat these gangs and cartels and the United States stands ready to assist and expand the already close cooperation between our two countries.”

President Trump’s crackdown on drug cartels and his unprecedented pressure on the Mexican government have forced drug lords into retreat. Facing the threat of arrest or death, many cartel operatives have shut down operations and gone into hiding as Mexico steps up efforts against producers of illicit drugs flooding the U.S. border.