{"id":2403998,"date":"2025-02-18T21:24:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T02:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-administration-ramps-up-fight-against-cartels-in-skies-above-mexico\/"},"modified":"2025-02-18T21:25:58","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T02:25:58","slug":"trump-administration-ramps-up-fight-against-cartels-in-skies-above-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-administration-ramps-up-fight-against-cartels-in-skies-above-mexico\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Administration Ramps Up Fight Against Cartels in Skies Above Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-administration-ramps-up-fight-against-cartels-in-skies-above-mexico%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2403998&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the Trump administration&#8217;s intensified efforts to combat fentanyl \u2062production at the \u2062U.S.-Mexico border, using CIA drones\u2063 to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">locate fentanyl labs<\/a>\u200c in Mexico. This campaign, which began under the biden administration, has reportedly gained momentum recently, with\u200b drone flights that operate\u200c &#8220;well into sovereign Mexico.&#8221; While the flights are \u2063aimed\u200c at intelligence gathering\u2062 and are not authorized for lethal action, details collected is shared with Mexican authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Despite \u2064some acknowledgment from \u200bMexican\u2062 President Claudia Sheinbaum regarding the drone \u2063operations,\u200c she seemingly downplayed their impact.The article highlights a shift in U.S. policy to treat\u2062 Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, with recent efforts including the potential designation of certain \u2063cartels in this vrey way. Additionally, there have been \u200bsurveillance flights conducted over the Gulf \u2063of California, indicating a broader \u2063strategy to \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-names-official-to-help-reverse-trump-era-immigration-policies\/\" title=\"Biden Names Official To Help Reverse ...-Era Immigration Policies\">combat drug trafficking<\/a>. \u2062the Trump administration is prioritizing this issue, with defense officials suggesting \u2064that &#8220;all options will be \u2063on the table&#8221; in addressing the drug cartel problem.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration might just be getting off the ground, but it&rsquo;s already ramping up its efforts in the air when it comes to securing the southern border.<\/p>\n<p>A campaign using Central Intelligence Agency drones to seek out fentanyl production in Mexican territory &mdash; begun during the Biden administration &mdash; has picked up steam under President Donald Trump, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/02\/18\/us\/politics\/cia-drone-flights-mexico.html?unlocked_article_code=1.x04.JjhR.pvFnCs_ugWxD&amp;smid=url-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times<\/a> reported Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>And it could well be just the beginning.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Times, quoting an unnamed U.S. official, the drone flights go &ldquo;well into sovereign Mexico.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The flights, not publicly disclosed previously, are intended to find fentanyl labs and are not authorized for lethal action, according to the Times.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;For now, C.I.A. officers in Mexico pass information collected by the drones to Mexican officials,&rdquo; the newspaper reported.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;However, during the Biden administration, the Mexican government was slow to take action against labs identified by the Americans, although it did use the information to make arrests, according to two of the officials,&rdquo; the Times noted.<\/p>\n<p>In its own piece Tuesday, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/02\/18\/politics\/cia-drone-missions-mexico-drug-cartels\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNN<\/a> reported the Reaper drone flights, along with an expected move by Trump this week to designate certain drug cartels as &ldquo;terrorist organizations,&rdquo; serve to &ldquo;underscore how the Trump administration is working to shift a broad range of counterterrorism authorities and resources to counter-cartel work along the US-Mexico border and inside Mexico itself.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">New: The CIA has been covertly flying MQ-9 Reaper drones over Mexico to spy on drug cartels, current and former officials familiar with the matter told CNN, part of Trump&rsquo;s shift to treat cartels like terror orgs. From <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NatashaBertrand?\">@NatashaBertrand<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ZcohenCNN?\">@ZcohenCNN<\/a> and me: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/p16Fj42VEg\">https:\/\/t.co\/p16Fj42VEg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Katie Bo Lillis (@KatieBoLillis) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KatieBoLillis\/status\/1891805724461654295?\">February 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Mexico has been aware of the drone operation, which works by detecting specific chemicals fentanyl labs emit into the air, according to the Times.<\/p>\n<p>During a news conference Tuesday morning, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged the flights, but appeared to downplay their significance.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s part of this little campaign,&rdquo; she said, according to the Times.<\/p>\n<p>However, the Trump White House <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/cartels-adopted-dangerous-technology-outsmart-biden-officials-now-trumps-sending-military\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">has made no secret<\/a> of its desire for Mexico to do more to crack down on the importation of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/biden-admin-schools-stock-naloxone-combat-fentanyl-crisis-border-remains-open-drug-cartels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the deadly drug<\/a> into the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Among the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/trump-implements-immediate-federal-hiring-freeze-amid-flurry-executive-actions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">blitz of executive orders<\/a> Trump signed on his first day in office, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/designating-cartels-and-other-organizations-as-foreign-terrorist-organizations-and-specially-designated-global-terrorists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one created a process<\/a> that would be used to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/using-military-force-against-mexican-drug-cartels-could-create-a-black-eye-for-trump-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Using military force against Mexican ... could create a \u2018black eye\u2019 for ... - Washington Examiner\">designate drug cartels<\/a> as terrorist organizations.<\/p>\n<p>News about the drone program comes after last week&rsquo;s reports that the U.S. had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/surveillance-jet-makes-unprecedented-run-along-mexican-cartel-coast-trump-preparing-strike\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">conducted surveillance flights<\/a> over international waters of the Gulf of California, between Mexico&rsquo;s Baja California peninsula and mainland Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>During a Jan. 31 interview with &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BehizyTweets\/status\/1885368484571603076\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox &amp; Friends<\/a>,&rdquo; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said &ldquo;all options will be on the table&rdquo; when it comes to taking on the drug cartels.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Trump administration is quickly intensifying its aerial efforts to secure the southern border. A campaign initiated during the Biden era, which employs CIA drones to locate fentanyl production in Mexico, has gained momentum under President Trump, as reported by The New York Times. This initiative may be just the start. According to an unnamed U.S. official cited by the Times, these drone flights extend &#8220;well into sovereign Mexico&#8221; and are aimed at identifying fentanyl labs without authorization for lethal action. Currently, CIA personnel in Mexico share information gathered from these drones with Mexican authorities; however, during Biden&#8217;s term, the Mexican government was slow to act on this intelligence despite making some arrests based on it.<\/p>\n<p>CNN also reported that Reaper drone operations and Trump&#8217;s anticipated designation of certain drug cartels as &#8220;terrorist organizations&#8221; highlight his administration&#8217;s strategy to redirect counterterrorism resources towards combating cartels along the U.S.-Mexico border and within Mexico itself. The CIA has been covertly deploying MQ-9 Reaper drones over Mexico for surveillance of drug cartels as part of this shift.<\/p>\n<p>Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged awareness of these drone operations but seemed to minimize their importance during a press conference. Nonetheless, Trump&#8217;s administration has openly expressed its expectation for Mexico to enhance its efforts against fentanyl trafficking into the U.S., including an executive order on his first day that established a process for labeling drug cartels as terrorist groups. Recent reports also indicated U.S. surveillance flights over international waters in the Gulf of California related to this issue.<\/p>\n<p>In a January 31 interview with &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends,&#8221; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that &#8220;all options will be on the table&#8221; regarding actions against drug cartels<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2403999,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Reaper-drone.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4106,13819,5370,3634],"class_list":["post-2403998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-administration","tag-cartels","tag-mexico","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Reaper-drone.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2403998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2403998"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2403998\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2404002,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2403998\/revisions\/2404002"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2403999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2403998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2403998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2403998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}