Trump Launches Anti-Drug Advertising Campaign, Promises to Label Mexican Cartels as Terrorist Organizations
The president-elect stated in Arizona on Sunday, “We’re going to promote the negative impacts of drug use.”
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Sunday his intention to classify Mexican drug cartels as terrorist entities and to initiate a nationwide anti-drug advertising campaign.
“I will swiftly designate the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations,” Trump declared at a Turning Point conference in Arizona, emphasizing a commitment from his campaign to make this declaration.
During his presidency in 2019, Trump intended to make the designation but ultimately refrained from doing so at the request of then-Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who sought cooperation with the U.S. in addressing drug cartels.
On his return to the White House, Trump’s campaign platform asserts he will instruct the Department of Defense to employ “special forces, cyber warfare, and various covert and overt measures to deliver significant damage to cartel leadership, infrastructure, and operations.”
Additionally, Trump unveiled a new advertising initiative aimed at educating the public on the dangers of drug use.
“We’re going to advertise how detrimental drugs are for your health,” Trump noted at the Turning Point conference in Arizona, referring to the campaign. “They ruin your appearance, they damage your skin, destroy your teeth, and degrade your overall look.”
Related Stories
Though he did not elaborate further on the campaign, this marks Trump’s first reference to the initiative.
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, the U.S. launched extensive anti-drug advertising campaigns, culminating in former first lady Nancy Reagan’s “just say no” initiative aimed at deterring younger Americans from drug use. Public schools also participated with programs like Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E), which aimed to educate about illegal substances and curb gang affiliation and violent actions.
Trump’s 2024 campaign has prominently featured messaging concerning the fentanyl crisis and illegal immigration into the U.S. Following his election win last month, he has proclaimed intentions to initiate mass deportations and declare a nationwide emergency regarding these issues.
The Trump administration’s border leader, Tom Homan—former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement—along with other officials, has vowed to prioritize the deportation of illegal immigrants who have committed crimes or pose threats to U.S. national security.
They have pledged to deport all individuals residing in the country illegally, although Trump has suggested that he might allow childhood arrivals to stay under specific conditions.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as of 2022, approximately 11 million illegal immigrants were residing in the U.S. During the 2024 election campaign, Trump discussed launching the “largest deportation effort in the history of our nation” and called for the utilization of the National Guard and local police in this endeavor.
Reuters contributed to this report.
