Donald Trump Declares War on Cartels: 'ISIS of the Western Hemisphere'

Operation Against Cartels

• 🎯 President Trump announced a sweeping, unprecedented, and historically successful operation to remove foreign drug cartel members from American soil.
• 💡 On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order designating drug cartels and transnational gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.
• 🤝 A Homeland Security Task Force, led by ICE and the FBI, was created to unite federal, state, and local partners in eliminating cartel presence.

Task Force Achievements

• 📈 In just weeks, the task force made the largest number of arrests of cartel leaders, operatives, and gang members in American history, exceeding 3,000.
• 🚨 Arrested individuals include members of the New Generation Cartel, Sinaloa cartel, LNFM cartel, MS-13, and Tren de Aragua.
• 💰 The operation has seized over 70 tons of deadly narcotics and more than 1,000 illegal guns.

Cartels as a National Security Threat

• ⚠️ Trump stated that cartels have unleashed more bloodshed on American soil than all other terrorist groups combined, calling them the 'ISIS of the Western Hemisphere'.
• ⛓️ He described cartels as controlling territory, maintaining vast arsenals, and using extortion, murder, and kidnapping for political and economic control.
• 🚫 The Trump administration is treating cartels as a core national security threat, waging war against them.

Successes in US Cities

• 🏙️ Washington D.C. has been transformed from an unsafe city to one of the safest in the country, with crime significantly reduced.
• 📉 Memphis has seen crime numbers decrease by half in just two weeks of intensified efforts.
• 🚧 Efforts are underway to address crime in Chicago and Portland, with a surge planned for San Francisco being temporarily paused at the request of business leaders.

Law Enforcement Support

• 👏 Trump thanked various law enforcement leaders and organizations, including the Fraternal Order of Police, National Sheriff's Association, Major Cities Chief Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, and the National Border Patrol Council.
• 🗣️ He praised the incredible people involved in the task force and their dedication to eradicating the cartel threat.