WSJ learned about the warning of the head of the Pentagon to Mexico

Minister of Defense USA Pete Hegseth warned the Mexican authorities that the Pentagon may take military action if the country does not comply with the requirements on the border between the two countries. This was reported on February 28 by the newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

According to the newspaper, this was Hegseth's first telephone conversation with the highest military officials of Mexico. The negotiations took place at the end of January, but the details of the conversation have only now emerged, the newspaper reports.

"Hegseth told officials that if Mexico does not sort out the collusion between the country's government and drug cartels, the US military is ready to take unilateral action," the article says.

As anonymous sources noted, the top leadership of Mexico, who was present at that call, was "shocked and outraged." This is Hegseth's warning, which was supported by other officials of the US presidential administration Donald Trump was concerned, as was the promised introduction of 25% duties by the head of the White House, which are due to take effect on March 4.

According to the authors of the material, Mexican officials are now working to achieve "tangible results" on the border with the United States and to combat drug trafficking. In addition, according to former American officials, Mexico's emergency transfer on February 27 of drug cartel leaders accused in the United States is another concession to Trump, and it also seems that Trump wants "specific things," such as the deployment of troops.

Counterpunch: Mexico has sent 10,000 troops to the border

It was this measure that gave the country a one-month reprieve from the imposition of duties by the US

Prior to that, on February 1, the American leader signed a decree on href="https://iz.ru/1832286/2025-02-02/tramp-podpisal-ukaz-o-vvedenii-poshlin-na-tovary-iz-kanady-meksiki-i-kitaia " target="_blank">the introduction of trade tariffs of 25% on goods from Canada, China and Mexico. At the same time, he promised introduce duties on goods from the European Union. With this decision, Trump seeks to reduce the flow of the opioid fentanyl across the border, as well as the flow of migrants.

On January 20, immediately after the inauguration, Trump signed more than 200 new decrees. Among them, the imposition of a state of emergency on the border with Mexico and the inclusion of drug cartels in the list of terrorist organizations.