A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter transports members of the Joint Task Force Southern Border during a tour of the US-Mexico border, in Douglas, Ariz., Thursday, April 3, 2025. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
WASHINGTON — A top Pentagon official said Tuesday that special operations forces do not have the authority to launch drone attacks at drug cartels in Mexico, even though President Donald Trump has designated them foreign terrorist organizations.
Colby Jenkins, who is currently working as the assistant defense secretary for special operations, told a Senate committee that Trump’s designation doesn’t automatically give the U.S. military the authority to take direct action against the cartels.
Under questioning from Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, Jenkins said it “helps us unlock the doors” for a broader government approach to the drug problem.
Slotkin noted that Elon Musk, a top adviser to Trump on overhauling the federal government, has said the foreign terrorist designation means the U.S. can conduct drone strikes against the cartels. Musk posted that on Feb. 19 on X.
Jenkins said it doesn’t, but that now the military can provide options and be ready if Trump needs more done to protect the border.
U.S. Northern Command has increased manned surveillance flights along the U.S.-Mexico border to monitor drug cartels and the movement of fentanyl and is increasing its intelligence sharing with Mexico from those flights, Gen. Gregory Guillot told senators in February.
There are also unmanned U.S. drones conducting surveillance over Mexico’s airspace, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Trump designated many of the gangs and cartels moving those drugs into the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations on Feb. 19, further increasing the pressure on their ability to move and providing law enforcement with what the State Department said are “additional tools to stop these groups.”
Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command, also told senators that he would seek expanded authority from Congress to conduct “more advise-and-assist types of operations between our forces and the tier one Mexican forces,” which are that country’s special forces units.
