“We will do whatever it takes to put an end to drugs,” Trump said.
The American president noted that he was “not happy with Mexico.”
“I talked to Mexico. They know my position – we are losing hundreds of thousands of people because of drugs,” Trump said. “We know the addresses of all the drug lords […] we know everything about each of them. They are killing our people. It's like war. Will I do it? I'll be proud of it.”
The head of the White House added that in the event of such a decision, he would first appeal to Congress.
“Both Democrats and Republicans, if they are not crazy, will agree, and the Democrats are a little crazy,” Trump said.
He also mentioned “cocaine factories in Colombia.”
“Would I destroy these factories? Personally, I would be proud to do it,” Trump emphasized.
At the same time, he indicated that he “is not saying that he will do it,” but “he would be proud.”
.@POTUS: “We have lost hundreds of thousands of people a year… and much of it comes through Mexico. So, let me just put it this way — I am NOT happy with Mexico.” pic.twitter.com/MzvJreOuEM
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 17, 2025
Context
Trump made the statement against the backdrop of the declared US fight against drug trafficking.
In August, the White House announced its readiness to “use all elements of power” to stop “the flow of drugs into the country,” in particular, to concentrate ships and manpower near Venezuela.
Since September, the United States has carried out more than 20 strikes on ships believed to be transporting drugs from Latin America to the United States, CBS News reported Nov. 13. At least 80 people died.
On November 11, the US Navy announced that its largest warship, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, had arrived in the Southern Command area of operations, which covers much of Latin America and the Caribbean. CNN reported that there are about 15 thousand American troops in the Caribbean region. In response to this, Venezuela announced a “mass mobilization.”
On November 14, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced the start of the US military operation “Southern Lance”, aimed against narco-terrorists, but did not say which country he was talking about.
Earlier, on October 24, the United States imposed sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro, his wife and son. Five days earlier, Trump called the Colombian president an “illegal drug leader,” threatening military action over drug trafficking.
