Pentagon Sending 3,000 Active-Duty Troops to Border, Warns of ‘Unilateral Action’ Against Cartels
President Donald Trump is making good on his campaign promise to tighten border security and crack down on illegal immigration.
Under the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon will be sending about 3,000 additional active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in the coming weeks.
Hegseth had reportedly warned Mexican officials during a call in late January that the U.S. was ready to take “unilateral action” against the country’s drug cartels if it didn’t do more to clamp the flow of fentanyl and migrants across the border.
A readout of the call noted Hegseth “underscored that his top priority is to safeguard the United States and its citizens, to include securing the southern border.”
“The Secretary highlighted the importance of Mexico’s armed forces continuing to disrupt cartel activities that threaten the United States, and for Mexico to continue taking steps to curb illegal migration into the United States,” the readout explained. “In both calls, the Secretary and his Mexican counterparts reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation between our militaries.”
According to a Wall Street Journal reportthe Pentagon chief also urged Mexican military officials to address the collusion between the country’s government and the violent cartels.
Mexico’s top officials who were on the call were “shocked and angered” by Hegseth’s comments and felt he was implying that U.S. military strikes could take place on the southern border, the report adds.
Hegseth has not ruled out using military action against Mexican drug cartels. He told “Fox & Friends” during a recent interview that “all options will be on the table,” but the decision is ultimately up to the president.
A Department of Defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed to AP that Hegseth has ordered a Stryker brigade combat team and a general support aviation battalion to the border, which spans 2,000 miles.
The Strykers are medium-armored wheeled personnel carriers. That team will provide transportation and engineering support along with detection and monitoring but will not be involved in interdiction or deportation operations, Northern Command said.
The new troops will “reinforce and expand current border security operations to seal the border and protect the territorial integrity of the United States,” the Pentagon said.
There are already 9,200 troops at the border currently. That number includes 4,200 troopers deployed under federal order and 5,000 National Guard troops deployed by state governors.
President Trump sent an earlier warning to Mexico and Canada saying he would impose 25% tariffs on imports from both countries “as scheduled” on March 4 for failing to crack down on drug smuggling.
“Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
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