In early 2025, after Donald Trump's second term began, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials proposed military strikes in Mexico against cartel operations. This proposal was reportedly met with alarm by both the White House and the Pentagon. The DEA's advocacy followed Trump's designation of numerous Latin American cartels and criminal gangs as foreign terrorist organizations. However, officials raised concerns that these conversations were conceptual and lacked a robust legal framework. One critic argued that the terrorist designation did not authorize military force, stating, 'Just because something is labeled a terrorist organization does not give you the authority to fire anything at them.' Concerns were also voiced regarding the absence of applicable congressional authorization for using military force against drug cartels and the potential for U.S. citizen casualties. Former DEA acting administrator Derek S. Maltz, who was with the DEA at the time, stated his position was 'to do it collaboratively and cooperatively with Mexico but at the end of the day America has to stand up for Americans first.'