U.S. Weighs Drone Strikes on Mexican Cartels Amid Rising Pressure to Combat Fentanyl Trade

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Senior officials in the White House, Pentagon, and intelligence community are engaged in early-stage discussions about launching drone strikes against Mexican drug cartels, according to six current and former U.S. officials familiar with the matter, according to NBC News. The plan would reportedly target cartel figures and their logistical networks, and is being explored in cooperation with Mexico’s government; officials have not ruled out unilateral action if necessary.

“They’re looking to build a target deck,” said one former U.S. official with knowledge of the planning. The targets under consideration reportedly include cartel personnel, vehicles, warehouses, and supply chains linked to fentanyl production and smuggling.

The talks remain preliminary, and no final decisions or agreements have been made. However, the possibility of unilateral covert drone strikes — carried out without Mexico’s consent — remains on the table as a last resort, sources said. It is unclear whether U.S. officials have formally proposed such strikes to the Mexican government.

If implemented jointly, the campaign would mark another chapter in longstanding U.S.-Mexico collaboration against organized crime. But officials said the Trump administration’s current considerations could be without precedent — particularly in the scale of U.S. involvement and the use of American unmanned aircraft to conduct direct attacks on cartel operatives and infrastructure.

Administration officials, including President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, have publicly refused to rule out drone strikes. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has privately warned Mexican counterparts of potential U.S. action, reiterating that “all cards are on the table.”

In recent weeks, the U.S. military and CIA have ramped up surveillance flights over Mexican territory, seeking to build an actionable intelligence base for potential operations. The flights have been conducted with the approval of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, according to public statements she has made.

 

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