Owen Hanson, once a prominent football player at the University of Southern California and now a reformed drug kingpin, has expressed his admiration for former President Trump’s initiatives to curb drug trafficking from Mexico into the United States.

In a recent interview discussing his past as a criminal and his journey to redemption, Hanson, who is featured in the Prime Video docuseries “Cocaine Quarterback,” shared his perspective on Trump’s strategy, particularly the targeting of suspected cartel vessels believed to be smuggling drugs.

“I have to commend Trump for his efforts; they’re commendable,” Hanson stated during an appearance on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.” However, he noted the persistent challenges, saying, “Ultimately, the cartels will always find a way to get their products into the country.”

Reflecting on the drug trade’s relentless nature, he added, “We’re expendable… there’s always someone ready to step in, take over, and figure out new methods to smuggle drugs into the U.S.”

Hanson’s journey from athletic success to criminal notoriety began after his time with the USC Trojans, the team that clinched the 2005 National Championship. Post-college, he initially ventured into sports betting, which eventually led to his recruitment by the notorious Sinaloa cartel.

He told that while working for the cartel in Australia, he was making upwards of $1 million a day at times.

“I was making that million dollars a day after I paid back the cartel, and I’m not proud of what I did,” Hanson said.

Hanson was arrested in 2015 and sentenced to more than 21 years in prison in 2017, as well as a lifetime of supervised release, but was released from federal prison in 2024 after assisting the Australian government in a related case.

“That 10 years I did in federal prison was a time to rehabilitate and change my life and come out a new, changed man and hopefully use my past mistakes to help younger kids and athletes that have maybe had that desire to go down the path I once went down,” he said.