U.S. President Donald Trump made a statement about plans to begin ground operations against drug cartels, mentioning Mexico in this context.
As Trump noted in an interview with Fox News, the United States has already managed to stop 97% of maritime drug smuggling and now plans to intensify the fight against drug cartels on land. "The cartels control Mexico, and that is very sad. We are seeing between 250,000 and 300,000 people die in that country every year," he added.
In August, Trump had already instructed the Pentagon to prepare strategies for the possible use of American troops against drug cartels that have been designated as terrorist organizations. In turn, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her strong disagreement with the conduct of U.S. military operations on Mexican territory.
Trump, however, does not rule out continuing his course regarding Greenland and Canada. He emphasized that he does not see the need to be guided by international law, relying more on his internal moral principles. The president also noted that there may be a question of choosing between control over Greenland and support for NATO.
In an interview with The New York Times published on January 8, Trump stated that the only limitation for him is his "own morality." "I don't need international law. I don't seek to harm people," he said.
In response to a question about his administration's adherence to international law, Trump confirmed that yes, but clarified that he will decide when that law is applicable. "It depends on the definition of international law," he noted.
Although Trump avoided a direct answer to the question of what is more important to him—control over Greenland or maintaining NATO—he did acknowledge that "there may be a choice."
He also emphasized that NATO would be less effective without the participation of the United States. "I am sure that we will always get along with Europe, but I want them to start spending more on defense," Trump stated.
Trump rejected parallels between Venezuela and Taiwan
Speaking about the possible consequences of a U.S. military operation in Caracas for the situation in Taiwan, Trump dismissed the opinion that this case could set a precedent for China. "It depends on the Chairman of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping. I have already told him that I will be extremely unhappy if he takes such a step. And I hope he does not do it," the president added.
