A Pentagon readout of the call noted that Hegseth “underscored that his top priority is to safeguard the United States and its citizens, to include securing the southern border.” He highlighted the importance of Mexico’s armed forces continuing to disrupt cartel activities that threaten the United States, and for Mexico to continue taking steps to curb illegal migration into the United States. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation between their militaries. Hegseth has previously refused to rule out US military action against Mexican drug cartels.

President Trump warned Mexico and Canada that the US will go ahead and impose 25% tariffs on imports from both countries “as scheduled” on March 4 as a result of their failure to adequately crackdown on drug smuggling. Trump stated that drugs are still pouring into the US from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels. On the same day as the latest threat, the Mexican government announced that it had transferred 29 cartel members, including the suspected killer of a Drug Enforcement Agency agent, to the US for criminal prosecution.

Secretary Hegseth's warning to Mexico echoes previous threats of unilateral action against cartels. These recurring tensions suggest a concerning pattern of strained diplomatic relations and potential policy shifts.