Trump Admin Formally Designates 8 Cartels, Gangs As Terrorist Organizations | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the The Daily Wire. The author of this post is Ryan Saavedra.

    The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday that it has formally designated several drug cartels and gangs as official Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) which expands the administration's ability to combat the organizations.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the designation - which was made in consultation with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent - came after a sufficient factual basis was established under the Immigration and Nationality Act to classify the entities as FTOs.

    The FTO and SDGT designations were applied to the following criminal enterprises: Tren de Aragua, Mara Salvatrucha, Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, Carteles Unidos, Cartel del Noreste, Cartel del Golfo, and La Nueva Familia Michoacana.

    FTOs are designated by the State Department under the Immigration and Nationality Act while SDGTs are designated by the Treasury Department under Executive Order 13224.

    FTOs focus on organizations and there are criminal penalties for being involved with the organization. SDGTs on the other hand focus on the terrorist organizations, individuals, and their financial backers. SDGTs result in sanctions and asset seizures.

    The designations come after news broke this week that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is flying MQ-9 Reaper drones over Mexico as part of Trump's efforts to revamp the war against transnational drug cartels.

    The unarmed drones are currently only conducting spy missions against the cartels. The CIA can arm the drones and use them against foreign enemies, which it has often done when fighting Islamic terrorists in the Middle East and Africa.

    The designations of the cartels as terrorist organizations could lay the groundwork for using the drones to kill top cartel leaders and destroy manufacturing sites.

    The CIA said in a statement that "countering drug cartels in Mexico and regionally is a priority for CIA as a part of the Trump Administration's broader efforts to end the grave threat from narco-trafficking. Director [John] Ratcliffe is determined to put CIA's unique expertise to work against this multifaceted challenge."

    Mexican officials, powerless to counter the vastly larger and more powerful U.S. government, have downplayed the CIA drones flying over Mexico, claiming that they do "not violate national airspace," according to Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla.

    Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum did not resist the notion of drones flying over Mexican airspace to fight the cartels.

    "The important thing here, I think, in the declaration, which is what we have always proposed, is that they share information with the Government of Mexico," she said.

    Trump's top goals for the agency revolve around trade wars, undermining communist China, and destroying the drug cartels.


    The president was asked the day after he was sworn into office if he would consider "sending U.S. special forces into Mexico" to take out the cartels.

    "Could happen," Trump said with a large grin on his face. "Stranger things have happened."

poll#218

Now that President Trump is picking his cabinet and immediate staff to insulate him from the poor judgement of the Bureaucratic Class, while moving quickly to transition this Constitutional Republic unto a wise and sustainable direction: What is your immediate impression as to how our nation will prosper?

  We are headed toward a Golden Age in America's self-governed society.

  This will all wind up in a clustered mess since Trump is a Fascist, and thought to be the second coming of Adolf Hitler by our best journalists.

  This is a time where critical days lay ahead, where only wise and responsible decisions must be made to sustain US.

  I generally do not pay attention, but expect only the best to occur ... and that is what I always expect.

102 total vote(s)     What's your Opinion?

poll#214

Understanding that there are two firm positions concerning the Open Border Crises, but many realties regarding its current, and, or projected real impacts to the functioning, sustainability of this Constitutional Republic: What position below best represents what you know to be true regarding this impactful policy?

  The United States' must continue the Executive initiative of Open Borders until a Democratic Congress can codify full Demographic Inclusion by keeping the Biden /Harris Open Borders policy in place.

  Our United States' borders are sovereign just as are our self-governed citizens, where borders must be maintained, monitored and defended, which is the position of core Republicans.

  I am in favor of Open Borders to make my America more of a global community; however, the federal government must now fix problems that "Red State" governors have caused in our cities.

  I do NOT favor the Democratic Socialists' disruption of the cultural fabric of my Representative Republic, and there will be Treasonous Hell to Pay when the certain calamity begins in earnest.

246 total vote(s)     What's your Opinion?

poll#168

In the most recent Midterms Election, the "Republican Red Wave" turned out to be a "Republican Red Ripple," which, as in all elections, confounded the political prognosticators of what to expect down the governing /political road: What, and who, do you think is best for this meandering Representative Republic in the near future?

  Because they know how to best allocate the public's money back to the right part of the public, the Democrats will NOW always prevail and get my vote.

  With patriotic pragmatism the cornerstone of the best of the Republican Party, they will ultimately save this Constitutional Republic from self-destruction.

  Since the Executive Branch is so important to turn this Representative Republic around, I am still on Team Trump in 2024.

  Since the nation may need a different path to Conservative patriotism in the Executive, I am joining Team DeSantis.

  Because I am entitled to take the government dole, the prevailing favoritism whenever possible, I will support any, and every Democrat candidate.

378 total vote(s)     What's your Opinion?

poll#207

Should the Institutionalized Corruption of the Biden /Harris Administration, in this separate instance the Open Border Policy of our Sovereign Southern Border, be not only tolerated, but sanctioned by the raising of local spending by local politicians to pay for these now visible and known effects of rampant, and out-of-control Illegal Immigration?

  Yes, it is a kind thing to do, and a way that our county, our state can aid in this tremendous effort toward local federal foreign aid; and now, thankfully, in great abundance.

  No, our Constitutional Republic WILL NOT continue to exist, as our United States of America, if we do not control our sovereign borders, to protect our citizens, to keep them solvent and safe.

  I only consider what is topical and popular since my friends, too, only care to do the same.

310 total vote(s)     What's your Opinion?