WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump said on Nov. 17 that he is willing to conduct lethal strikes in Mexico to stop drug trafficking.
"Would I launch strikes into Mexico to stop drugs? OK with me. Whatever we have to do to stop drugs," he said in the Oval Office.
"I looked at Mexico City over the weekend. There's some big problems over there."
Trump said he is unafraid to take kinetic action similar to actions being taken in the Caribbean against alleged drug boats.
"We have almost no drugs coming into our country by the sea, by the waterways, and you know why?" he said. "It's pretty obvious. Would I do that on the land cars? I would, absolutely."
Trump said he will do whatever it takes to stop drugs and drug trafficking.
"Colombia has cocaine factories where they make cocaine. Would I knock out those factories? I would be proud to do it," he said. "Personally, I didn't say I'm doing it, but I would be proud to do it because we're going to save millions of lives."
Trump declined to say whether he would ask Mexico for permission to strike inside the country, but he said he would have talks with the nation.
The president's comments come as the United States conducted its 21st strike on an alleged drug boat.
"Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. Three male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed. The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific and was struck in international waters."
In Congress, Democrats and some Republicans have questioned the reasoning and legality of the strikes.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has been one of the few Republicans to criticize the strikes.
Trump has said he will not go to Congress to seek authorization for conducting the strikes.