Trump Again Claims Mexico Is 'Ran By The Cartels': 'We Have To Defend Ourselves'

President Donald Trump again claimed Mexico is "ran by the cartels," saying the U.S. has to "defend" itself against drug-traffickers despite his respect for counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum.

"Mexico is ran by the cartels. I have great respect for the president. She's a very brave woman but Mexico is ran by the cartels and we have to defend ourselves from that," Trump said.

Trump made the claim while discussing his administration's strikes against alleged drug boats off the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia.

Sheinbaum discussed the campaign on Thursday, rejecting the strikes. "We do not agree, there are international laws about the way to operate on the alleged transportation of illegal drugs or weapons in international waters. We have told this to the U.S. government and publicly," she said.

A report from mid-October detailed that cartel operatives are not particularly worried about the campaign, saying operations wouldn't be seriously harmed. "We don't only have maritime routes, we have land and air as well," an operative told The New York Times. "There is always a way," he added.

In this context, Mexican officials told the outlet that even though they are following the developments in Venezuela with caution, they don't believe the Trump administration will conduct strikes on Mexican soil. Three different ones said cooperation between the countries is currently very strong and successful to jeopardize it with unilateral strikes. Two Trump administration officials agreed with that premise, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the countries.

The Trump administration has conducted at least nine strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific. The most recent one took place on Wednesday, in which three people aboard the vessel were killed. Overall, 37 people have been killed by the strikes since the operation began last month.