The President's Daily Brief PDB Afternoon Bulletin | February 18th, 2025: CIA Reaper Drones Over Mexico & Border Crossings Collapse
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Feb 18, 2025 The podcast dives into the U.S. military's intensified fight against Mexican cartels, spotlighting CIA-operated Reaper drones. It examines the shift in strategy as these cartels are now labeled as foreign terrorist organizations. The discussion reveals the tensions arising from drone operations and the notable decline in migrant numbers at shelters, linked to stricter border policies. This creates a precarious situation for migrant facilities, raising concerns about future support and the implications for both countries.
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Mexico's Unease
- Mexico's response to the covert drone missions has been mixed, with silence from the foreign ministry and unease from other officials.
- While acknowledging U.S. surveillance flights in international airspace, they've expressed concerns about potential espionage within their borders.
Unarmed Drones, Future Implications
- The CIA drones over Mexico are currently unarmed but are capable of carrying weapons like Hellfire missiles and JDAMs.
- This raises questions about potential future escalations in U.S. counter-narcotics strategy.
CIA Drone Missions in Mexico
- President Trump has escalated the fight against Mexican cartels by ordering covert CIA drone missions.
- These missions utilize MQ-9 Reaper drones, the same ones used in the War on Terror, for surveillance inside Mexico.