U.S. Presses Mexico for a Security Result Before the Midterms
The Trump administration is pressing Mexico to expand its security cooperation, hoping for a visible result before the U.S. midterm elections, according to a New York Times report published on October 24, 2026. The same report says the administration is seeking a potential path to U.S. military forces operating in Mexico.
The pressure is the latest stage of a dispute over drug cartels, the criminal organizations that traffic illegal drugs. In March 2026, the Trump administration designated a number of cartels and transnational gangs, groups that operate across national borders, as foreign terrorist organizations, a formal U.S. legal label for groups it considers terrorist.
In September, President Donald Trump called Mexico an "epicenter" of cartel violence in remarks at the United Nations. Reuters reported that Trump pledged "unmatched military might" against the cartels while rallying regional allies. In the same coverage, he said cartel control of territory in Mexico was "unacceptable" and that Mexico's government "must reclaim" it.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has taken a different line on foreign forces. In August 2025, she said members of the U.S. military would not be entering Mexican territory. A State Department statement from September 2025 said Sheinbaum had increased cooperation to confront cartels.
Mexico has also taken steps on the financial side. The Wall Street Journal reported that Mexico tightened its anti-money-laundering rules, which are meant to stop criminal profits from being passed off as legitimate money, amid U.S. pressure. In January 2026, the two governments issued a joint statement referring to a bilateral Security Implementation Group, a joint body set up to strengthen cooperation against cartels.
A separate incident has also drawn attention. Al Jazeera reported that an alleged cross-border shooting targeting U.S. security personnel prompted a U.S. troop deployment, and that Mexico asked the United States for evidence of the shooting.
Washington's regional outreach continues as well. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Bisonó Hazá on October 16, 2026, to discuss deepening security cooperation against cartels and what the State Department calls narco-terrorist groups.
