WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the US is sending armed soldiers to the southern border after Mexican soldiers “pulled guns” on US troops.
Trump appeared to be referring to an April 13 incident in which Mexican troops reportedly questioned and pointed their weapons at two US troops conducting surveillance on the border.
“Mexico’s Soldiers recently pulled guns on our National Guard Soldiers, probably as a diversionary tactic for drug smugglers on the Border. Better not happen again! We are now sending ARMED SOLDIERS to the Border. Mexico is not doing nearly enough in apprehending & returning!” Trump said on Twitter.
In another message, POTUS said Mexico was doing very little for the US, stressing democrats in Congress to act now.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1121044792945926144
Detailing the incident which prompted fresh conflict between the countries, US Northern Command said the two US soldiers were in an unmarked vehicle conducting border support operations on the American side of the border when they were approached by five to six Mexican military men; the incident happened north of the Rio Grande in Texas in an unmarked area.
NORTHCOM stated that an inquiry revealed that the Mexican military members believed that the US Army soldiers were south of the border, however, the US soldiers were appropriately in US territory.
Although the Mexican military personnel departed the area after a brief discussion, Trump seems to be taking a strong exception to the interaction.
After Trump’s announcement, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his government would analyze the incident, take into account Trump’s comments, and act “in keeping with law within the framework of our sovereignty.”
“We are not going to fall for any provocation,” he told reporters in Mexico City.
“The most important thing is to tell (Trump) we are not going to fight with the government of the United States. The most important thing is to say we want a relationship of mutual respect and cooperation for the sake of development,” he added.
