Trump targets drug cartels, unveils anti-drug campaign

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to declare Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations and unveiled plans for a new anti-drug advertising campaign aimed at combating the nation’s fentanyl crisis.

Speaking at a Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday, Trump emphasized the physical toll of drug use, including fentanyl, and outlined his approach to tackling the epidemic.

“We’re going to advertise how bad drugs are for you,” Trump told the audience. “They ruin your look, they ruin your face, they ruin your skin, they ruin your teeth.” He likened the initiative to a political campaign, pledging to allocate “a lot of money” to the effort, though he acknowledged it would be a “very small amount, relatively.” His transition team has yet to provide further details about the initiative.

The proposed campaign echoes the “Just Say No” anti-drug initiative led by Nancy Reagan in the 1980s, which aimed to deter drug use among young Americans. Trump’s comments come amid a devastating synthetic opioid crisis, with fentanyl and related drugs projected to cause between 50,000 and 60,000 deaths in the U.S. this year. “We cannot allow this destruction to continue,” Trump said, highlighting the issue as a central theme in his 2024 presidential campaign.

Reviving a previous promise, Trump also pledged to classify Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. “I will immediately designate the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations,” he said, a move that would authorize broader actions against their operations.

During his 2019 presidency, Trump considered such a designation but paused the plan at the request of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who sought U.S. cooperation rather than intervention. U.S. officials at the time expressed concerns that the designation could strain diplomatic relations and complicate joint efforts to combat drug trafficking.

Trump’s official campaign platform takes a hardline stance, promising to deploy special forces, cyber warfare, and covert operations to target cartel leadership and infrastructure. “We will inflict maximum damage on the cartels, their operations, and their networks,” Trump stated, reinforcing his administration’s intent to take unprecedented action.

While his proposals have reignited debates on U.S.-Mexico relations and drug policy, Trump remains adamant. “This is about saving American lives and stopping the poison flowing across our border,” he declared.