Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum holds a press conference in Mexico City on January 2, 2026. PHOTO: Luis Barron/Eyepix Group/Shutterstock Editorial/Profimedia
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had a phone conversation with her American counterpart, Donald Trump, on Monday amid tensions over how to combat powerful drug cartels operating in Mexico, the German news agency DPA reports.
Later, Sheinbaum said at a press conference that he again rejected Trump's offer to send US troops to Mexico to help the government fight the cartels, a proposal that had alarmed many Mexicans, who see it as a violation of national sovereignty.
The President of Mexico stated that, in the 15-minute telephone conversation, an agreement was also discussed according to which the US will not undertake unilateral military actions on Mexican territory, notes Agerpres.
On social networks, the leader of Mexico qualified the exchange of views with the head of the American administration as a “very good conversation”, adding that “collaboration and cooperation in a framework of mutual respect always gives results”.
“We are talking about the joint work that has been done on security issues. There are very important results from this collaboration. For example, the trafficking of fentanyl from Mexico to the US has been reduced by 50 percent,” Sheinbaum wrote.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the Mexican president's handling of cartel violence, saying Mexico is effectively controlled by them.
The White House leader has repeatedly suggested that the U.S. could crack down on cartels, comments that have unsettled officials in Mexico.
During the phone call, Sheinbaum said he reiterated Mexico's opposition to foreign military interventions in other countries.
