Mexico City - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Saturday that U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed to send American troops to Mexico to help her administration fight drug trafficking, but she refused.
Her remarks to supporters in eastern Mexico were in response to an article in the Wall Street Journal published the day before, describing a tense call last month, where Trump reportedly forced her to accept the greater role of the U.S. military in Mexico's fight against drug cartels.
"He said, 'How can we help you fight drug trafficking? I suggest the U.S. military comes in and help you." You know what I said to him?
She added: "Social ruling is not for sale. Sovereignty is loved and defended."
White House National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt said in a statement late Saturday that Trump worked closely with the Mexican president “to achieve the safest southwestern border in history.”
"But dangerous foreign terrorist groups continue to threaten our common security and their spread of drugs and crimes that threaten American communities across the country," the statement said. "The president has been clear that Mexico must do more to fight these gangs and cartels, and the United States is ready to assist and expand the already close cooperation between the two countries."
In Trump's order in January, U.S. military presence has grown steadily along Mexico's southern border in recent months to increase the role of the military in blocking immigration flows.
The U.S. Northern Command has flocked troops and equipment to the border, adding manned surveillance flights to monitor fentanyl trafficking along the border and seeking expanded powers to enable U.S. Special Forces to work closely with Mexican forces with Mexican forces operating against the cartels.
Trump designated many gangs and cartels as foreign terrorist groups on February 19, limiting their movements and providing law enforcement with more resources to oppose them.
But Sheinbaum’s hardline stance on Saturday suggests that pressure from unilateral military intervention in the U.S. will leave her and Trump in a collision course after months of immigration and trade cooperation.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum held a morning press conference at the National Palace of Mexico City on April 2, 2025. Marco Ugarte/AP Closed subtitles
"We can work together, but you are in your territory and our territory," Sheinbaum said.