Trump administration military strikes against drug cartels in Mexico would carry risks

Published January 30, 2026 5:30am ET



A significant ingredient of President Donald Trump‘s foreign policy during his second term is keeping other nations off balance. Whether allies, enemies, or nations worried about becoming the latter, the collective international inability to predict what Trump will do next anywhere in the world has left many nations wondering whether to extend a presidential invite or prepare for war.

Most recently, Trump’s surprise raid in Venezuela stretched the boundaries of what foreign players believe he might do. Now, while more extremist commentators in Canada have warned that the president could look to grab northern territory, it’s Mexico that has a more legitimate reason to worry.

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