President Trump’s newly appointed head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Derek Maltz, recently spoke about his plans to take on Mexican drug cartels. In his first interview since taking the role, Maltz shared his strong commitment to building a global coalition to fight the cartels, calling it a “war against evil.” He stressed the need for a more urgent and aggressive approach, stating that simply arresting criminals in the U.S. or using extradition is not enough. He believes the cartels must be held accountable for their role in destroying future generations.
Maltz, who has worked for the DEA for 28 years, emphasized the importance of collaboration. He wants to create a multi-agency effort and form strong partnerships with Mexican authorities to tackle the cartels. He acknowledged that in the past, cooperation with Mexico was insufficient but expressed hope that recent changes, including President Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, could encourage more cooperation.
The DEA chief pointed out how the cartels have grown stronger by using advanced technology and weapons, and he believes that the U.S. and Mexico must work together to dismantle these criminal organizations. Maltz is a strong believer in partnership building and is focused on creating effective alliances to fight drug cartels. He also credited Trump’s approach to illegal immigration as helping build the necessary coordination among different authorities to take on the cartels more effectively.
Maltz is clear that the DEA’s goal is to focus on criminal migrant drug dealers, rather than targeting innocent families seeking better lives in the U.S. He explained that the U.S. authorities’ priority is to go after the most dangerous criminals who are causing harm to communities.
In summary, Maltz is pushing for a more aggressive, coordinated approach to dealing with Mexican drug cartels. He believes the key is building strong partnerships, including with Mexico, and using all available resources to combat these criminal groups that are devastating both the U.S. and Mexico.
