Trump approves military action against Latin American cartels classified as terrorist organizations

The move, reported by the New York Times, would give U.S. forces permission to engage the cartels, which traffic drugs like fentanyl across the US-Mexico border,

The anti-cartel effort is being coordinated among several departments, including the Department of Defense, Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Treasury, the source added.

"President Trump's top priority is protecting the homeland, which is why he took the bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations," deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"It has nothing to do with Mexican territory," she said. "It has to do with their country. It does not involve our territory."

Most recently, he has used the threat of tariffs to force Mexico and Canada to actively participate in anti-smuggling efforts. 

"Maduro uses foreign terrorist organizations like TdA (Tren de Aragua), Sinaloa and Cartel of the Suns (Cartel de Soles) to bring deadly violence to our country," Bondi said in a video message. "He is one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world and a threat to our national security."

Weeks after taking office, the White House announced the extradition of 29 members of various Mexican drug cartels.