On Wednesday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley warned Mexican drug cartels that are trying to ramp up drug trafficking into the U.S. as the country deals with a pandemic that the U.S. military will defend the country “regardless of the cost.”

Milley’s remarks came after President Donald Trump announced late on Tuesday afternoon that the administration was launching a massive new offensive against the Mexican drug cartels that includes support from the U.S. Military.

“Today the United States is launching enhanced counter narcotics operations in the western hemisphere to protect the American people from the deadly scourge of illegal narcotics,” Trump said. “We are deploying additional Navy destroyers, combat ships, aircraft and helicopters, Coast Guard cutters and Air Force surveillance aircraft, doubling the capabilities in the region.”

After Trump’s remarks, Milley said, “There’s thousands of sailors, coast guardsmen, soldiers, airman, Marines, involved in this operation. We came across some intelligence some time ago that the drug cartels as a result of covid-19 were going to try to take advantage of the situation and try to infiltrate additional drugs into our country.”

“We are at war with terrorists and we are at war with the drug cartels as well,” Milley continued. “This is the United States Military. You will not penetrate this country. You will not get past jump street. You’re not going to come in here and kill additional Americans. And we will marshal whatever assets are required to prevent your entry into this country to kill Americans.”

“So right now, the Navy has marshaled additional ships … and they have set sail already and are in the Caribbean right now,” Milley concluded. “In addition to that, there [are] ten Coast Guard cutters and there’s special operation forces and security force assistance brigades along with Air Force reconnaissance aircraft. The bottom line is, you are not going to get through. Now is not the time to try to penetrate the United States will illegal drugs to kill Americans. With the United States Military, we will defend our country regardless of the cost.”

WATCH:

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Mark Milley: "We're at war with COVID-19. We're at war with terrorists and we are at war with the drug cartels as well… You will not penetrate this country… You're not going to come in here and kill additional Americans." pic.twitter.com/yyHNBOFPtT — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) April 1, 2020

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