Sheinbaum points to U.S. drug use and arms
Original reporting: Publimetro México
What happened
Claudia Sheinbaum responded to Donald Trump’s criticism by pointing to U.S. drug consumption and arms flowing into Mexico while maintaining that both governments are cooperating on security.
Reporting and context
Claudia Sheinbaum responded Wednesday to Donald Trump’s description of Mexico as the “epicenter of cartel violence” by pointing to drug consumption in the United States and the flow of firearms into Mexico. The Mexican president said she could describe the United States as a difficult neighbor because of its drug use and weapons production, but would not do so because both governments continue working together.
Trump had told the United Nations that Mexico must recover control of its territory, while also saying he maintained a good relationship with the Mexican government and citing progress against criminal organizations. Publimetro México reported that Sheinbaum’s response sought to keep both messages in view: shared responsibility for drug trafficking and continued bilateral cooperation.
The article cited provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates of 69,973 overdose deaths in the United States in 2025, nearly 14% below the 81,313 estimated for 2024. It also cited ATF data showing that 22,817 of 32,144 firearms recovered in Mexico and submitted for tracing in 2025—71%—were classified as originating in the United States. The ATF cautions that traced weapons are not a random sample of all firearms used in crimes in Mexico.
Mexico and the United States have continued formal security cooperation based on sovereignty, shared responsibility and coordination without subordination, according to the report. Sheinbaum’s response therefore criticized the imbalance in Trump’s framing without presenting the exchange as a break in cooperation.