The defense secretary’s closed-door comments have unnerved Mexican officials negotiating to avoid 25% tariffs

The defense secretary threatened Mexico with unspecified "unilateral action" in a call with the country's leaders, according to a report.

The United States has threatened Mexico with military action if it does not manage the drug cartels effectively. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth stated that if Mexico does not address the collusion between its government and drug cartels,

A conversation between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and senior Mexican officials has sparked tension. Mexican officials were outraged by the threat of military action from the US, states WSJ.