A recent article from Rolling Stone magazine has stirred discussions about former President Donald Trump’s potential plans if he returns to office. The article that was meant to be a hit piece attempted to make the idea of Trump’s using U.S. special operations forces to combat Mexican drug cartels should he win.

According to Rolling Stone, Trump believes that the U.S. military has forces capable enough to take on the cartels directly. He has reportedly questioned why the U.S. hasn’t previously carried out missions to eliminate the leaders of these cartels. Trump argues that removing these key figures could significantly weaken cartel operations and instill fear among their leaders.

While the report aimed to attack Trump, suggesting that his ideas show an extreme shift in conservative thinking, it backfired.

The suggestion to use military force against cartels isn’t unique to Trump. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, touted in August 2023, declaring that he would deploy the military against the cartels from his first day in office if elected. He emphasized the threat posed by cartels, describing them as major contributors to national decline due to their control over parts of the southern border.

“Here’s the thing, the cartels are killing tens of thousands of our fellow citizens,” DeSantis said. “Want to talk about a country in decline? You have the cartels controlling a lot of part of your Southern border? We have to reestablish the rule of law, and we have to defend our people. The president of the United States has got to use all available powers as commander in chief to protect our country and to protect the people.”

Investigative journalist @peterschweizer exposing just how deeply embedded the Chinese government is in Mexican drug cartel operations and their smuggling of fentanyl into the United States. From the supply chain to manufacturing to money laundering, the CCP and Chinese organized… pic.twitter.com/MhCu8hsmdZ

— Rep. Dan Crenshaw (@RepDanCrenshaw) May 7, 2024

Support for this approach is evident in Congress as well. Representatives Dan Crenshaw from Texas and Michael Waltz from Florida have proposed legislation that would allow the military to take action against cartels involved in trafficking fentanyl into the United States.

Mexico’s President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has criticized the proposal, calling it irresponsible and offensive to the people of Mexico. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has suggested a different approach to thread the needle. He’s suggested that the U.S. State Department designate the cartels as terrorist organizations.

The cartels are in open warfare against the people of Mexico, and have been for a long time. And in recent years, the cartels murder around 80,000 Americans a year with fentanyl.

There is a solution: stronger cooperation with the Mexican military to help them take back their… https://t.co/LrK2n98MRl

— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) May 7, 2024