Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo firmly declared that she will never allow the presence of U.S. troops on Mexican soil, responding to a proposal by former President Donald Trump to collaborate in the fight against drug trafficking. “Our territory is inviolable; sovereignty is not for sale. Sovereignty is loved and defended,” she stated.
During the inauguration of the Universities for Wellbeing Benito Juárez García campus at the Lago de Texcoco Ecological Park, Sheinbaum explained that Trump had offered to send U.S. troops to support Mexico in combating organized crime, to which she responded with a resounding “no.” She clarified that while she is open to cooperation, it must not involve interference or foreign military presence.
“Mexico is a free, independent, and sovereign country. We can work together—but you on your territory and we on ours. We can share information, but we will never accept subordination,” Sheinbaum affirmed before students and authorities from the State of Mexico. Her statement was met with applause from the audience.
She also noted that within this framework of bilateral cooperation, she has asked the U.S. government to prevent the entry of firearms into Mexico. “Yesterday, President Trump issued an order to strengthen actions to curb arms trafficking into our country,” she said, referring to instructions given to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The president emphasized that the fight against drug trafficking must be carried out with full respect for national sovereignty and through strategies that prioritize the wellbeing of the Mexican people. “That is Mexico’s greatness: its courageous people and a government that does not bow down,” she concluded.
