By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press
Washington (AP) – A senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday that the special operations forces did not have the power to launch drug attacks in drug cartels in Mexico, even if President Donald Trump has appointed them foreign terrorist organizations.
Colby Jenkins, who is currently working as Deputy Defense Secretary for Special Operations, told a senatorial committee that Trump’s appointment does not automatically give the US military the authority to take direct measures against cartels.
Under the interrogations of senator Elissa Slotkin, Michigan Democrat, Jenkins said that “helps us unlock the doors” for a broader government approach to the drug problem.
Slotkin noted that Elon Musk, one of Trump’s main advisers on the revision of the federal government, said that the foreign terrorist designation means that the United States can make drones against cartels. Musk posted it on February 19 on X.
Jenkins said no, but now that soldiers can offer options and be ready if Trump needs more to protect the border.
US Northern Command has increased inhabited surveillance flights along the American-mexic border to monitor drug cartels and fentanyl movement and increases its sharing of intelligence with Mexico from these flights, General Gregory Guillot to Senators said in February.
There are also unmanned American drones that lead monitoring of Mexico airspace, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Trump has appointed many gangs and cartels deploying these drugs in the United States as foreign terrorist organizations on February 19, increasing the pressure on their ability to move and provide law forces what the State Department said they were “additional tools to stop these groups”.
Guillot, commander of the Northern Command, also told senators that he would ask for an extended authority for the congress to carry out “more adviser types of operations and assistants between our forces and the Mexican forces at level one”, which are the units of the special forces of this country.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
