- The Trump administration has issued a classified directive instructing the Department of Defense (DoD) to prepare for possible lethal operations inside Mexico targeting drug cartels, with plans expected by mid-September.
- Unlike previous covert operations run by the CIA or JSOC, U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and its Special Operations Command North (SOCNORTH) are now tasked with leading efforts, including preparing “target packages” against cartel leaders and infrastructure.
- Coordinated with the CIA, FBI, DHS and Border Patrol, the strike options reportedly include precision drone strikes, airstrikes and direct action by elite special operations forces such as Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets.
- The plan was discussed at a July meeting led by Pentagon official Colby Jenkins, followed by talks between NORTHCOM commander Gen. Gregory Guillot and Mexico’s top defense officials, highlighting the diplomatic sensitivities involved.
- The White House and top officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have increasingly labeled cartels as terrorist organizations. The U.S. intelligence community calls them “the most immediate and direct threat” to national security, citing fentanyl trafficking and mass migration.
(Natural News)—Three senior military officials have revealed that the Trump administration quietly directed the Department of Defense (DoD) to prepare for possible lethal operations against Mexican drug cartels inside Mexico.
According to a report by investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein, a top-secret planning order issued in late spring instructs U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to develop a suite of strike options targeting cartel infrastructure, logistics and leadership.