WASHINGTON \u2014 President Donald Trump opened the door Monday to launching U.S. strikes<\/a> in Mexico, a move that would be a dramatic escalation of his administration\u2019s fight against drug cartels.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office<\/a>, Trump answered a question about potentially striking Mexico or sending American troops or other personnel into the country by saying it would be \u201cOK with me.”<\/p>\n \u201cWould I launch strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? OK with me, whatever we have to do to stop drugs. Mexico is \u2014 look, I looked at Mexico City over the weekend. There\u2019s some big problems over there,\u201d Trump said after he was asked whether he was considering such action.<\/p>\n Asked whether he would conduct strikes only with Mexico\u2019s permission, Trump said he \u201cwouldn\u2019t answer that question.\u201d He added that he has been speaking with the country, adding that Mexico knows \u201chow I stand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve stopped the waterways, but we know every route. We know every route, we know the addresses of every drug lord,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWe know their address, we know their front door. We know everything about every one of them. They\u2019re killing our people. That\u2019s like a war. Would I do it? I\u2019d be proud to.\u201d<\/p>\n The Mexican Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n NBC News reported this month<\/a> that the Trump administration has begun planning for a new campaign in which the United States would send American troops and intelligence officers to Mexico to target drug cartels. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly said<\/a> U.S. military action in Mexico without her permission will not happen.<\/p>\n In the middle of answering the question about Mexico, Trump pivoted to talk about Colombia, saying he would be “proud” to dismantle cocaine factories in the country.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have nobody coming into our southern border, but we know exactly how they get their things here. How they get the drugs here. Fentanyl, cocaine,\u201d Trump said. \u201cColombia is \u2014 has cocaine factories, where they make cocaine. Would I knock out those factories? I would be proud to do it, personally.\u201d<\/p>\n The Colombian Embassy in Washington did not immediately provide a comment on Trump’s remarks.<\/p>\n The Trump administration has launched nearly two dozen strikes on boats allegedly carrying narcotics in the region and near Venezuela, killing more than 80 people, including Colombian citizens.<\/p>\n The strikes led leftist Colombian President Gustavo Petro to denounce the Trump’ administration\u2019s actions and to a subsequent diplomatic rift<\/a> between Petro and Trump. Trump has called Petro a \u201cdrug leader,\u201d and the United States took the unusual move of sanctioning him.<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2025_11\/1762214224692_nn_cku_trump_war_cartels_251103_1920x1080-yr4xm2.jpg\")
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