what did trump say about mexico

Trump has made many controversial and changing statements about Mexico over the years, ranging from harsh criticism of migrants and the Mexican government to more transactional or cooperative language about security and border control. More recently, as president again, he has also spoken in very aggressive terms about using U.S. military force against drug cartels operating in or from Mexico.

Key things Trump has said about Mexico

• In his June 2015 campaign launch, Trump claimed that Mexico was “sending” people who were “bringing drugs,” “bringing crime,” and were “rapists,” while adding that “some” were good people, a framing that drew immediate and lasting backlash.

• He later defended these remarks by saying he was only describing border crime and that he “can never apologize for the truth,” insisting that he “love[s] the Mexican people” but calling the border situation a “disgrace.”

• During the 2016 campaign, he repeatedly alleged that the Mexican government was “sending the bad ones over” and that U.S. leaders were “stupid” while Mexico’s leaders were “much more cunning.”

Border, wall, and migration comments

• Trump has long tied Mexico to his border wall agenda, insisting there could be “no country without borders” and that Mexico should help stop migrants using its territory as a route into the U.S.

• As president in his first term, he said the U.S. had been “very good to Mexico for many years” and demanded that Mexico “do its fair share” to stop illegal immigration and transit migration.

• He has frequently highlighted crime and drug trafficking, portraying the border as almost a war zone and using that to justify tougher enforcement and pressure on the Mexican government.

Recent “strikes on Mexico” remarks

• In late 2025, Trump said it would be “OK with me” to launch strikes in Mexico to stop the flow of drugs, describing cartels as killing Americans and likening the situation to war.

• In the same context, he talked about knowing the “routes” and “addresses” of drug lords and suggested he would be “proud” to carry out such actions, predicting that both parties in Congress would support him “unless they’re crazy.”

• Reporting at the time noted that he also said he had been speaking with Mexico about possible military action against cartels, hinting at an expanded campaign against drug trafficking in Latin America.

How these comments are viewed

• Supporters often argue he is being blunt about serious problems like cartel violence, drug overdoses, and irregular migration, and that tough talk pushes Mexico to cooperate more on border security.

• Critics say his language about Mexican migrants fuels xenophobia, damages U.S.–Mexico relations, and normalizes the idea of unilateral U.S. military action on Mexican soil, which many in Mexico see as a violation of sovereignty.

• In Mexican and U.S. media, his statements have repeatedly sparked diplomatic tension, political debate, and intense online forum discussions, especially whenever he revives talk of the wall, tariffs, or cross‑border strikes.

Quick Scoop: what this means now

• The phrase “what did Trump say about Mexico” usually refers both to his original 2015 remarks portraying some Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists, and his ongoing narrative tying Mexico to border security, drugs, and migration.

• In his current term, the newer twist is explicit openness to military “strikes” against drug cartels in or linked to Mexico, which keeps the topic highly charged and frequently trending in political news and forum discussions.

TL;DR: Trump’s comments about Mexico range from highly inflammatory descriptions of migrants to hard‑line threats against cartels and demands that Mexico “do its fair share” on the border, and they remain a major flashpoint in U.S.–Mexico politics and online debate.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.