In his State of the Union address, Donald Trump said “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” While I was disgusted by Trump’s offensive language used to refer to other humans, this language is coded. It helps us understand how the U.S. views and interacts with other countries. It is a means to achieve political and economic gain.
Feb. 22 the Mexican army killed El Mencho, the leader of the Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) drug cartel. The U.S. classified the CJNG as an international terrorist organization in February 2025. President Trump supported killing El Mencho and had encouraged the Mexican government to allow the U.S. to intervene.
In the aftermath of this killing, violence erupted throughout Mexico over territorial disputes and frustration in retaliation. Cartel members set buses, cars and gas stations on fire across Mexico. I learned about this violence not from a news organization, but from a phone call from my mom, who was visiting Mexico with some friends. She informed me that she was afraid but safe. She said she would allow some people who evacuated a nearby building to use the bathroom and give them food and water. But a friend of hers shot that idea down, saying their group should focus on themselves. While this war on drugs has been going on in Mexico since 2006, it has never really seemed to affect me until now.
The U.S. and these cartels have a direct connection. The U.S. allows for the flow of weapons bought for cartel members into Mexico, and cartels funnel drugs into the U.S. This connection makes the U.S. look responsible for these cartels. Still, economic or military intervention in Mexico will lead to more harm within Mexico, as shown throughout U.S. history.
The U.S. has rarely intervened in another country out of the goodness of its heart. It has almost always done so for economic and political gain. The U.S. often views itself as superior, exemplified by the concept of manifest destiny, the idea that God has chosen the U.S. to expand because the U.S. is the greatest country. This sort of attitude would justify Western expansion and the Mexican-American War, and it led to the implementation of the Monroe Doctrine and, later, the Roosevelt Corollary. Ultimately, these actions solidified the United States as an imperial power over Latin America. Trump’s rhetoric continues this tradition, pushing the belief that America knows best for other countries and is willing to protect American citizens, no matter the cost.
As my mom’s friend pointed out, what about us? In the U.S., social injustice is on the rise, we face an increased cost of living and freedom of speech is at risk. Americans are focused on ourselves. Who cares if the U.S. intervenes in Mexico? Perhaps it will decrease the number of drugs in the U.S., but the U.S. intervening will lead to more violence and harm other countries. Who is to say Trump’s government won’t incite violence in the U.S.?
The thing about U.S. intervention is that it is a test to see when Americans stop caring. Once you stop caring about citizens in other countries, then what about the citizens in your own country? Trump is going after immigrants with ICE, claiming that over 3 million illegal immigrants have left the country. As of Jan. 28, at least eight people have died in altercations or in custody with ICE. This tragedy is just the start, and I don’t expect the deportation or death of immigrants and U.S. citizens to decrease.
As an American, I have watched how, throughout history, the U.S. government has implemented invasions that have led to only further harm for the citizens in those countries. Other examples of interventions include those in Venezuela and Iran. The U.S.’s only solution is to use violence to go into a country, or if they give economic aid, they expect that country to be indebted to them. The war on drugs in Mexico has lasted almost 20 years, and with that, there hasn’t been any real change to stop cartels or end poverty in Mexico. U.S. intervention will not fix this issue. The U.S. only has its own interests at heart and will create more harm for the citizens of Mexico. For all of us, the U.S. should sit this one out.
Contact Emma Williams at ewilliams4@oxy.edu
