The U.S. government is cracking down hard on drug cartels, charging their leaders with terrorism offenses in a bold new move that’s got former FBI officials talking.

This isn’t just another drug bust—it’s a clear signal that the Trump administration is done playing nice, treating cartels like terrorist groups to hit them where it hurts.

After years of what many see as the Biden administration’s soft approach letting the fentanyl crisis spiral out of control, Trump’s policies are driving this shift, aiming to finally get a grip on the narco trade.

The Department of Justice recently charged several Sinaloa Cartel leaders with terrorism-related offenses, a first for cartel members, while also hitting five leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO) with drug trafficking and money laundering counts.

Chris Swecker, a former assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, told Fox News Digital:

“It’s the first time that cartel members have been hit with terrorism-related charges.”

He explained the intent: “It is intended to send a message.” Swecker also called this a “dramatically different” approach, noting that the DOJ’s decision to go after two Sinaloa leaders with these charges “marks a significant shift in strategy.”

The goal is to use the heavy penalties and legal tools tied to terrorism charges—like asset freezes and enhanced surveillance—to disrupt cartels on a whole new level.

This strategy is straight out of Trump’s playbook. Back in 2019, Trump floated the idea of designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, a move he pushed again during his 2024 campaign, promising to “unleash” the full force of the government on them.

Once in office, he tapped hardliners like FBI Director Kash Patel, who’s been vocal about getting tough on crime, to make it happen.

The terrorism charges align with Trump’s broader agenda of cracking down on illegal immigration and drugs, often tying the two together—something he hammered Biden on during the campaign.

In a 2023 speech, Trump said cartels were “killing 300,000 Americans a year” with fentanyl, a number some experts debate but one that underscores his urgency.

Contrast that with Biden’s tenure, which critics say let the crisis fester. Under Biden, fentanyl deaths soared—the CDC reported over 70,000 overdose deaths in 2023 alone, many tied to cartel-supplied drugs.

A 2024 DEA report noted Sinaloa and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel controlled most of the fentanyl flooding the U.S., often working with Chinese suppliers, yet Biden’s response was seen as tepid.

His administration focused on harm reduction—like funding needle exchanges—over aggressive enforcement, and never pursued terrorism charges against cartels.

Swecker hinted at the frustration, telling Fox News Digital this new approach under Trump could set a precedent for tackling transnational crime groups, something Biden never touched.

The implications are huge. The Sinaloa Cartel, led by figures like the sons of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, and the BLO, which splintered after Alfredo Beltran Leyva’s 2008 arrest, have long fueled violence and addiction across borders.

By treating them as terrorists, the U.S. can go after their finances and networks more aggressively. But it’s not without risks—cartels might retaliate, and Mexico, already touchy about U.S. intervention, could see this as a diplomatic jab. Still, Trump’s team is betting that this get-tough strategy will make a dent where Biden’s policies fell flat, even if it means a bumpy road ahead.

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