In the first week of his second term, President Donald Trump hit the ground running. He signed over 200 executive orders addressing everything from ending catch-and-release at the border to establishing an America First trade policy and ending burdensome oil and gas regulations. 

However, amid the flurry of activity during his first days in office, one executive order is not getting the attention it deserves — designating cartels and other groups as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists. 

This executive order declared a national emergency to address the escalating threat posed by violent cartels, beginning the process of labeling them as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Over the last four years, Mexican cartels such as MS-13 and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua have increasingly threatened U.S. security through both drug and human trafficking, upending the safety of our country. Having spent four years on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, I can confidently say this decision is among the most consequential and impactful actions Trump took in his first days back in office.

These cartels are waging a violent campaign against the United States, trafficking deadly drugs, violent gang members, and criminals into our communities. Even former President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security estimated that there are 300,000 children who are unaccounted for. These cartels use force and violence to control illegal ports of entry, facilitating the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants across our southern border. Their reign of terror poses a national security threat to our towns and cities, the U.S., and the rest of the world. 

It doesn’t stop there. America is facing a growing number of terrorist threats — from radical pro-Palestinian college students who celebrate genocide against the Jewish people to millions of illegal immigrants who have entered our country and remain unaccounted for. Over the last four years, the Biden administration sat silently as tens of thousands of military-aged men from Syria, Yemen, Iran, and China entered our country through the southern border, guided by cartels. 

Unfortunately, under the Biden administration, we faced the imminent threat of improvised explosive devices and acts of terrorism on American soil — the type of threats I sought to prevent on the Joint Terrorism Task Force and while working with Homeland Security. We can’t allow this to continue. Fortunately, thanks to the swift actions of the new president and his decision to target violent gangs and cartels as global terrorists, we will be able to help reduce threats facing our country. 

Another significant effect of designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations is that it frees up funds needed to support federal, state, and local law enforcement. This designation allows for the U.S. military to support the Global War on Terrorism and alleviates any violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the military from engaging in domestic law enforcement. The military participation brings with it not only manpower but also high-tech equipment needed to combat an enemy with seemingly unlimited resources and access to the same equipment. These include submersibles and drones.

Within days of taking office, Trump is sending a clear message: we must eliminate any and all organizations that threaten the American public. 

Under his leadership, the U.S. is already seeing a dramatic shift in its approach to these threats. Deportation flights to remove cartel members, violent criminals, and illegal immigrants who are already in our communities have begun across the country. ICE raids across the country have yielded results — an MS-13 gang member in Boston who had an Interpol Red Notice warrant for aggravated murder, a Haitian gang member with 17 convictions, and dozens of other criminals and abusers who are now off our streets. 

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However, this is just the beginning. In the coming weeks and months, the president has the authority and the tools to dismantle these cartels, targeting not only the organizations themselves but also the individuals enabling their operations — those providing weapons, false documents, money, and intelligence. The U.S. military will also be empowered to use military resources, including drone strikes, to destroy drug labs — a policy initiative floated by Trump.

While much of the national conversation has focused on Trump’s broader immigration policies, his first trips, and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion in the federal government, don’t forget about his efforts to declare cartels and violent gangs as foreign terrorist organizations. This is an essential step to securing our southern border and making America safe again. 

Capt. Hung Cao USN (Ret.) is a 25-year retired Navy captain who served for four years on the Joint Terrorism Task Force. He was the Republican nominee for the Virginia Senate in 2024.