Military Preparing Attacks on Mexican Cartels
The Trump administration has quietly instructed the U.S. military to prepare for potential lethal strikes against drug cartel targets inside Mexico, according to a report by former Intercept journalist Ken Klippenstein.
A classified planning order issued earlier this year directs U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to prepare for military operations that could be ready by mid-September. The directive reportedly includes plans for unilateral action—meaning operations could be carried out without approval or coordination from the Mexican government.
A senior U.S. intelligence official said Trump is “uniquely focused” on targeting transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), having labeled them terrorist groups early in his presidency. The official added that Trump has shown a willingness to take aggressive actions despite potential political fallout.
The order was discussed during a July meeting at NORTHCOM headquarters in Colorado Springs, led by Colby Jenkins, the acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict. Days later, NORTHCOM commander Gen. Gregory M. Guillot met with Mexico’s top military leaders: Gen. Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, Secretary of National Defense, and Adm. Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles, Secretary of the Navy.
“Today, more than ever, the challenges we face demand a joint, coordinated, and adapted response,” Adm. Morales said following the meeting, urging bilateral cooperation.
Historically, U.S. operations inside Mexico have been conducted covertly by the CIA or Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to avoid undermining Mexican sovereignty. The New York Times has also reported an increase in CIA drone reconnaissance missions over Mexico, signaling elevated preparations.
“NORTHCOM was previously sidelined in planning for Mexico,” the intelligence official said, noting that their role was limited to training and non-lethal missions. But now the command is being assigned a central role in coordinating a broader military strategy across multiple U.S. agencies, including the intelligence community, FBI, Border Patrol, and ICE.
Gen. Guillot acknowledged the growing partnership in recent congressional testimony, calling the military relationship between the U.S. and Mexico “more operationally compatible than at any point in our shared history.” He emphasized joint efforts to counter threats ranging from drug trafficking to foreign influence by China and Russia.
As part of the new directive, NORTHCOM’s subordinate command, SOCNORTH, has been ordered to conduct “operational preparation of the battlespace” in Mexico. This includes building intelligence on high-value targets, such as cartel leaders, compounds, and supply chains—particularly those linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. These plans may include drone or airstrikes and ground operations.
Trump’s use of the word “invasion” to describe cartel activity appears to be more than political rhetoric. According to military sources, it has served as justification for mobilizing the armed forces against cartels similarly to how the U.S. responded to terrorist threats after 9/11.
“We have to start treating them as armed terrorist organizations, not simply drug dealing organizations,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a recent interview.
Sources say Trump remains focused on tangible results and is willing to override legal and policy constraints to address what he sees as a national security emergency—particularly the ongoing fentanyl crisis. The synthetic opioid has killed more than 225,000 Americans, making it a central issue in the administration’s new strategy against the cartels.
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