FACT CHECK: US Special Forces Re Approved To Train Mexican Forces, Not Fighting Cartels

A post shared on X claims United States Special Forces were approved by the Mexican Senate to take on the cartels.

🚨Update: The Mexican Senate has just APPROVED the entry of U.S. Special Forces to take on the cartels!

President Trump Administration has designated the cartels as “foreign terrorıst organizations” and they’re about to PAY for the American lives they’ve taken! pic.twitter.com/cFz1rwrDah

— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) February 18, 2025

Verdict: Misleading

The U.S. Special Forces are training Mexican military forces. They are not taking on the cartels.

Fact Check:

Social media users are claiming that the Mexican Senate approved US Special forces to take on cartels. One user wrote, “Update: The Mexican Senate has just APPROVED the entry of U.S. Special Forces to take on the cartels! President Trump Administration has designated the cartels as ‘foreign terrorıst organizations’ and they’re about to PAY for the American lives they’ve taken!”

There is no evidence for this claim. Media outlets, such as Border Report, are reporting that the Mexican Senate approved U.S. troops training Mexican forces. They are not fighting cartels.

Ioan Grillo, an independent journalist who covers Mexico and the cartels, said the claim was false in response to Tesla owner Elon Musk, who amplified the claim.

Elon bro – this tweet is bullshit.

The Mexican Senate totally did not approve for U.S. special forces to come into Mexico and fight cartels. They allowed them to train Mexican soldiers, which they have been doing for years. Anybody, who knows anything about this knows it’s BS. https://t.co/JZDhSEI4zP

— Ioan Grillo (@ioangrillo) February 17, 2025

“The Mexican Senate totally did not approve for U.S. special forces to come into Mexico and fight cartels. They allowed them to train Mexican soldiers, which they have been doing for years. Anybody, who knows anything about this knows it’s BS,” Grillo tweeted.