Mexico Rules Out U.S. Military Strikes After Trump Says He'll Do "Whatever It Takes" to Stop Drugs

Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, on Tuesday firmly rejected any U.S. military strikes on Mexican soil after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would do "whatever it takes" to stop drugs entering the United States. Sheinbaum reiterated that Mexico will accept intelligence cooperation but will not permit armed intervention by a foreign government.

Sheinbaum's position

"It’s not going to happen," Sheinbaum said, adding that she has told U.S. officials — including Senator Marco Rubio in previous exchanges — that Mexico welcomes shared information but insists Mexican authorities carry out operations on Mexican territory. She said U.S. offers of direct military action have been declined consistently.

“They can help us with information they have, but we operate in our territory; we do not accept any intervention by a foreign government.”

Incident at the Rio Grande mouth

The comments came as Mexican and U.S. diplomats investigated an episode in which contractors installed signs on a beach at the mouth of the Rio Grande, near a stretch known locally as Playa Bagdad. The placards, printed in English and Spanish, declared the area a "Restricted Area" and identified it as U.S. Department of Defense property, warning against unauthorized access, photography or drawing.

Mexico’s navy removed six signs that appeared to be on Mexican territory, and authorities involved the International Boundary and Water Commission — the binational body tasked with clarifying border changes when river channels shift. The Pentagon later said contractors had placed signs to mark a site described as "National Defense Area III" and acknowledged that changing water depth and topography can alter perceptions of the international boundary. It said the contractors would coordinate with appropriate agencies to avoid future confusion.

Context and sensitivities

The site is close to SpaceX's Starbase launch complex at Boca Chica Beach on the Texas side of the river. The SpaceX facility works with Department of Defense and NASA programs, and Mexican officials earlier raised concerns after debris from a rocket test reportedly washed up on the Mexican side. The episode also comes amid heightened diplomatic sensitivities following President Trump’s proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America," which Mexico has rejected.

While Washington and Mexico continue to cooperate on law enforcement and intelligence against transnational criminal groups, the recent exchanges underscore Mexico’s insistence on sovereignty and the limits of any potential military involvement by foreign forces on its territory.