Trump Wants to Go to War in Mexico
But does he even understand what he’s proposing?
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Donald Trump, a man who falsely claimed to oppose the Iraq War and has baselessly asserted that the United States was not at war during his presidency, has repeatedly proposed bombing and even invading Mexico – a sovereign state and the top trading partner of the United States. Trump is proposing a reckless and dangerous new conflict that would cost billions of taxpayer dollars and put American lives at risk.
Despite the risks it poses to the American people, the U.S. economy, and our national security, Trump’s “go it alone” idea is quickly gaining steam among MAGA Republicans in Washington. But there’s a reason this policy proposal has been condemned by bipartisan experts, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and even by Trump’s former National Security Advisor. Invading, bombing or otherwise attacking Mexico is dangerous, ineffective, and would put American servicemembers at risk. Not to mention that previous efforts to target drug lords and production facilities have had little to no effect on trafficking levels while drastically increasing levels of violence and migration.
Trump and his MAGA allies are serious about entangling the U.S. in another ill-conceived war
Trump has demanded “battle plans” to “attack Mexico.” Trump has repeatedly asked policy advisers and campaign staff for a range of military options to launch attacks in Mexico, including strikes that are not sanctioned by Mexico’s government. Trump has been briefed on several options that include unilateral military strikes and troop deployments in a sovereign U.S. partner and neighbor.
Republicans in Congress support Trump’s plan to go to war in Mexico. MAGA Republicans in the House introduced a bill seeking authorization for the use of military force in Mexico and close Trump ally Tom Cotton said he is open to sending U.S. troops into Mexico, even without that nation’s permission.
Trump asked military leaders to launch strikes in Mexico and deny responsibility. In 2020, Trump asked his defense secretary about the possibility of launching missiles into Mexico, maintaining that the United States’ involvement in a strike against its southern neighbor could be kept secret. When his military leaders objected to the plan, Trump suggested they could blame other nations for the strike, adding that “no one would know it was us.”
American military leaders – and the Mexican government – oppose Trump’s dangerous plan to send our troops to Mexico
Mexico’s government would not allow the United States to wage war within its borders, leading to further chaos. When asked about Trump’s plan to wage war in Mexico, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador made clear he would oppose such an effort, stating “We are not going to permit any foreign government to intervene in our territory, much less that a government’s armed forces intervene.”
Military experts and Trump allies have warned against Trump’s war in Mexico. Military experts and even Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton have warned against invading Mexico. “Some argue launching a U.S. offensive or invasion will, simply put, not solve the problem. Others also point out that Mexico is a U.S. partner, not an adversary, and that taking such unilateral action would shred diplomatic relations and likely cause immense chaos and further eruptions of cartel violence.”
Trump’s half-baked proposal would create chaos and increase migration
Increased violence, including crackdowns by the government, increases immigration to the United States. Violence between organized crime groups and the government is fueling “the largest exodus of Mexican families in modern history.” Nearly 90% of Mexicans migrating to the U.S. said they were fleeing violence, extortion, armed clashes, or organized crime.
Violence in Central America has driven recent waves of migration to the U.S. Recent waves of migration from Central America to the United States were spurred by those fleeing their homes due to violence. Migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have migrated to the United States because their home countries were experiencing “unprecedented levels of violence outside a war zone.”
Trump’s plan will not prevent drug trafficking, but it will lead to more death and destruction
America's war on drug trafficking in Afghanistan cost lives and didn't lower production levels. The U.S. spent over seven billion dollars on counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan. In spite of that, only one percent of opium produced in Afghanistan was seized – failing to make a meaningful dent in production, which actually increased since the U.S. invasion in 2001.
Assassinating drug cartel leaders has not lowered levels of violence or drug trafficking. Killing or capturing cartel leaders hasn't reduced the overall level of violence in Mexico, Central America and the United States. In fact, studies have shown that decapitation of cartels can actually cause violence to increase.
Mexico’s war on cartels increased – not decreased – violence in the country. Mexican authorities have been waging war against drug cartels for more than a decade, but violence has continued to grow. “Thousands of Mexicans die in the conflict every year. Since 2006, the year the government declared war on the cartels, the country has seen more than 360,000 murders. And huge quantities of drugs continue to make their way into the U.S.
Violent crackdowns on drug traffickers in Colombia did not lower drug trafficking into the United States. Billions of dollars in military support provided by the United States during Plan Colombia simply shifted production and transport into other areas of South America.
Published: May 2024
Updated: November 2024
See also: Talking points on Trump’s Reckless Plan to Go to War in Mexico | May 2024