Trump might hit Mexico next, if he means what he says. Already in 2026, the runaway US leader has kidnapped a country’s president, seized oil tankers in acts of piracy and is threatening Colombia and Cuba and even NATO ally Greenland.

Trump referenced his boat bombings of alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Pacific, telling Fox News:

We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water, and we are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels.

He also said the cartels were in charge in Mexico:

The cartels are running Mexico—it’s very, very sad to watch, and see what’s happened to that country.

Trump threatened Mexico earlier in the week too.

Sovereignty and self-determination

Mexico’s president was scathing in her response. Claudia Sheinbaum said:

I don’t believe in [the possibility of] invasion, I don’t believe even that it’s something they are taking seriously. Organized crime is not taken care with [foreign military] intervention.

Sheinbaum added:

We categorically reject intervention in the internal affairs of other countries. … For Mexico, sovereignty and self-determination are neither optional nor negotiable.

Trump provided no further details on strikes against targets in Mexico.

Unlike Venezuela, Mexico is a major drug-trafficking, rather than oil-rich, country. The fact remains that using the military for law enforcement is a play straight out of the Forever War aka The War on Terror. Something which can hardly be seen as a successful approach after 25 years of failed wars.

Yet Trump has gone into overdrive since Christmas, showing a willingness to unilaterally attack whomever he pleases. US foreign policy at the moment can be summed up as follows:

TRUMP SAYS ONLY HIS “OWN MORALITY” LIMITS U.S. POWER: NYT

— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) January 8, 2026

Trump vs Mexico

Trump’s relationship with Mexico has always been aggressive and chaotic. As part of his war on immigration, he has long spoken of securitizing the US southern border with a continent-spanning wall.

In August 2025 that project was still underway, with Trump ordering the barrier to be painted black to made it hotter in the sun and harder to climb.

Trump and his cronies have clearly been emboldened. The successful, though illegal, mission to snatch Nicolas Maduro has them feeling invulnerable. The truth is Trump respects strength alone. And unless other countries start to stand up to him he is likely to continue on this war-like path. With consequences we can only begin to imagine.

Featured image via the Canary

By Joe Glenton

This post was originally published on Canary.