This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Former President Donald Trump has promised to end the reign of dangerous Mexican drug cartels and outlined plans on foreign policy, during an interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters and Trump's running-mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio.
During the interview, Trump stated it was "absolutely" on the table to destroy Mexican drug cartels if the election goes in his favor this November, despite Mexico being the U.S. largest trading partner.
"Absolutely…Mexico is going to have to straighten it out fast, where the answer is absolutely. They're killing 300,000 people a year with fentanyl coming in, and China, by the way, will do what they have to do. They're gonna do it just like I had to deal with President Xi…They [China] were gonna give the death penalty to anybody sending fentanyl our way, and that was part of my negotiation, " Trump told Watters.
Trump added China never carried through with these plans, because the Biden administration did not enforce it.
"You know, China has the death penalty for drug dealers…and I said, 'they're drug dealers'…he [Xi] agreed with me. Death penalty for drug dealers, the death penalty for people that send fentanyl into our country, and that would have made a big difference," Trump said.
Trump noted the Biden-Harris administration is "soft" on China, and as a result, almost 100% of fentanyl has Chinese origin and is then smuggled over the U.S. southern border by the cartels.
"Mexico is going to be given a very short period to police their border. I'm sure they're going to do not well, and then you're going to see the action start, and you know what's gonna happen? We're gonna have a lot of people living," Trump said.
Trump pointed out that not only is fentanyl killing people, but it's also destroying the lives of those who are addicted to it, their families, and the community.
"Even if there's no death, they're destroying families. The families are decimated and they're destroyed," Trump said.
It is well known Vance's mother was addicted to illicit drugs, and Watters asked how his mother was able to beat her addiction.
"You know, she just kept getting back on the horse. I know a lot of families struggle with addiction. I think my message is there is hope on the other side of addiction, you just have to keep on at it, and she's getting close to 10 years clean and sober," Vance told Watters.
Vance added if his mother had been addicted to fentanyl 20 years ago, she would not be here today.
"It's funny that people accuse us of being bombastic for saying the cartels, we need to go after them. What about American citizens who are losing their lives by the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands because we won't do something about the cartels? That's what's reckless," Vance told Watters.
Vance noted he believes the Mexican government wants Trump to do something about the cartels because it is destabilizing Mexico too.
"$14 billion coming to the cartels, and that was a couple of years ago, it's probably more today. They're not gonna be a real country anymore. They're gonna become a narco-state unless we get some control over this," Vance said.