Trump re-ups threat to strike Mexico, Colombia drug-trafficking targets
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Secretary Pete Hegseth looks on as President Trump speaks during a meeting of his Cabinet at the White House on Dec. 2. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
President Trump said he'd consider a similar approach to curb the flow of drugs from Mexico and Colombia that he's taken with strikes on alleged drug vessels near Venezuela.
Why it matters: The U.S. attacks on alleged drug vessels have killed dozens of people and stirred mass international and bipartisan concern in Congress. Trump's comments in the newly release interview indicate he's undeterred by the growing backlash.
Driving the news: Asked by Politico's Dasha Burns if he'd be open to action against Mexico and Colombia, Trump replied, "sure, I would."
- Much of the fentanyl in the U.S. is trafficked in from Mexico, produced with precursor chemicals largely supplied by China. Despite Trump saying traffickers were carrying fentanyl, Venezuela isn't known for producing or trafficking fentanyl.
Flashback: It's not the first time Trump has floated military intervention in Mexico. President Claudia Sheinbaum dismissed his threats of U.S. military action against Mexican drug cartels a few weeks ago.
The big picture: Trump also declined in the interview to rule out a ground invasion in Venezuela.
- His administration's military campaign has fueled speculation that the U.S. is angling for regime change in Caracas.
- Asked how far he'd go to take Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro out of office, the president replied, "I don't want to say that" but added, "His days are numbered."
- Trump had previously suggested efforts to take out alleged drug traffickers on land could be imminent. When pressed by Burns on the possibility of U.S. boots on the ground, he said he didn't "want to rule in or out."
The intrigue: Trump later said he "didn't care" if Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified to Congress about a heavily scrutinized follow-up strike on a ship in September that reportedly killed survivors after an initial attack.
- Several lawmakers have called for the video of the attacks to be released.
- Trump said he watched the video of the strikes in question and told Burns "it looked like they were trying to turn back over the boat." But he added, "I don't get involved in that."
Zoom out: Burns asked Trump about his recent pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted last year for his role in a drug-trafficking scheme that flooded the U.S. with tons of cocaine.
- "I don't know him, and I know very little about him," Trump said.
- He defended the pardon, saying that Hernandez's prosecution was a "set up."
Go deeper: Trump blasts "decaying" Europe but praises Orbán, Erdoğan
