Trump Sounds Alarm on Cartel Threat as Drone Activity Escalates in El Paso

In a recent development, President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States may soon take military action against nations that serve as sanctuaries for drug cartels. This assertion follows closely on the heels of the dramatic apprehension of Nicolas Maduro from his residence, which resulted in the U.S. assuming control over operations in Venezuela. These actions coincide with a temporary shutdown of the El Paso International Airport, situated near the southern border, after Mexican drones reportedly intruded into U.S. airspace on Wednesday morning.

During a Tuesday night interview with Fox News, the president proudly announced that drug trafficking into the United States has seen a 33 percent decrease following the covert capture of Maduro last month. He hinted that his military campaign could potentially expand beyond Venezuela. “Now we’re gonna start on land,” Trump declared, explaining the strategic sequence. “We had to do the boats first because they would go immediately to the boats. Now we’re gonna hit them on land. We’re gonna hit them very hard on land.” Although Trump did not specify which country might be targeted next, the administration’s rhetoric towards Mexico has intensified. The White House, however, has not ruled out the possibility of actions in other Latin American countries. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly emphasized to the Daily Mail, “The President has left all options on the table to stop drugs from flooding into our country – just as he promised.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reopened the airspace around El Paso International Airport on Wednesday morning, only a few hours after its closure due to “special security reasons.” This decision came after a reported incursion of cartel-controlled drones from Mexico into U.S. airspace. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that the FAA and the Department of War acted promptly to handle the situation, stating, “The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.” Although the airspace closure was initially anticipated to last for ten days, the situation was resolved much sooner. An official from the administration confirmed to the Daily Mail that the breach was indeed perpetrated by Mexican cartel drones.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said during a Wednesday morning press conference: ‘There is no information about the use of drones on the border.’ She committed to her administration investigating the incident and looking into ‘the exact causes of why they closed’ US airspace, and urged Trump’s team to contact her government if they have information to share. The drone action in Texas had led to some questions over whether Trump might use this to take action in Mexico next. A person familiar with the administration’s thinking didn’t deny when asked by the Daily Mail that it’s possible that the White House could use this incident as a reason to get more involved on the ground in Mexico to shut down drug cartel activity.

And a former Pentagon official said ‘given the threat’ by the Mexican drone activity, it could predicate retaliation by Trump. ‘The issue is will Mexico act in a way that addresses this threat coming from its territory into the US,’ they added, suggesting that if the Mexican government acts, it could deter Trump from wanting to do it himself. In September 2025, the War Department began conducting strikes against vessels in the Caribbean and southern Atlantic that were allegedly carrying drugs as the Trump administration moved to stop drug trafficking in the region. The operation included at least 38 strikes and resulted in the deaths of 128 people.

This all culminated in the secretive abduction of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their bunker in Venezuela on January 3, 2026. They were extradited to New York where they are facing narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges, among others. Trump has previously threatened to also conduct US military strikes against drug cartels operating out of Mexico. He told Fox News in early January that he would ‘start now hitting land with regard to the cartels,’ and directly linked it to the US southern neighbors by claiming: ‘The cartels are running Mexico.’ ‘On the campaign trail, President Trump promised to take on the cartels – and he has taken unprecedented action to stop the scourge of narcoterrorism that has resulted in the needless deaths of innocent Americans,’ White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in her statement.