A new report says the Trump administration is developing plans that would send U.S. troops and intelligence personnel into Mexico to target drug cartels.
According to NBC News, the effort is still in early planning, and no final decision has been made. Even if the mission moves forward, it would not happen immediately, though early-stage training exercises for the possible operation have reportedly started.
NBC News also reported that the troops involved would fall under Title 50 authority, meaning they would operate under U.S. intelligence command rather than traditional military command.
If approved, the mission would not be publicly acknowledged. A senior administration official told NBC News, "The Trump administration is committed to utilizing an all-of-government approach to address the threats cartels pose to American citizens."
The outlet additionally reported that the operation would primarily rely on drone strikes aimed at drug labs and senior cartel figures, which would require U.S. forces to operate drones from inside Mexico.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that Mexico is "ran by the cartels" and insists the United States needs to "defend" itself from drug traffickers, even while expressing respect for Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
A separate report from mid-October indicated that Mexican officials did not think the administration would actually carry out strikes on their territory. They reportedly said that current cooperation between the two countries is strong and effective, and that the U.S. would not risk damaging it with unilateral military action.