Remarks Follow Trump’s “Epicenter” Comments
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum pushed back after Donald Trump described Mexico as the “epicenter of violence,” urging Washington to focus on stopping illegal firearms from crossing the border. Sheinbaum said U.S. action on gun trafficking would reduce cartels’ access to high-powered weapons used in criminal attacks.
“There is something the U.S. can help us a lot with: stop the trafficking of illegal weapons from the U.S. to Mexico,” Sheinbaum said, arguing that limiting the flow of firearms would weaken criminal groups’ capacity to operate violently.
Mexico Points to US-Sourced Firearms
Sheinbaum said a significant share of weapons used by cartels originate in the United States and framed the issue as a concrete area for bilateral cooperation. Mexico has repeatedly asked the U.S. to tighten enforcement against arms trafficking, warning that weapons availability fuels violence far beyond border regions.
She also referenced Mexico’s prior legal efforts against U.S. gunmakers, which sought to hold companies accountable for practices Mexico says enable cross-border trafficking and criminal use.
Mexico Rejects US Military Action on Its Territory
Trump’s remarks revived a long-running debate over U.S. proposals to take a more direct role against Mexican drug trafficking groups. Sheinbaum said Mexico has rejected the idea of U.S. military operations inside the country and reiterated that stance, saying Mexico has told Washington “no” when the idea has been raised.
Mexican political analysts also criticized Trump’s framing, arguing that U.S. drug demand and U.S.-sourced weapons are central drivers of cartel violence, and urging the discussion to focus on shared responsibility rather than assigning blame to one side.