Lindsey Graham Says He’ll Introduce Bill to ‘Set the Stage to Use Military Force’ in Mexico

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on Monday he is prepared to introduce legislation to pave the way for the president to potentially use military force in Mexico to combat drug cartels.

On Friday, four Americans were kidnapped just over the border in northeastern Mexico in what U.S. officials are saying is a case of mistaken identity. Authorities say it is likely that members of a drug cartel abducted them thinking they were smugglers.

The incident highlights the ongoing problem of drug cartels in Mexico as well as the high demand in the U.S. that helps empower them.

Appearing on Monday’s Jesse Watters Primetime, Graham reacted to the kidnappings and the drug war in general. The senator said he agreed with former Attorney General Bill Barr’s assessment that the U.S. government should designate the drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

“What would Lindsey Graham do in this situation?” asked Jesse Watters.

“I would follow Bill Barr’s advice and get tough on Mexico,” he responded. “It’s not just the hostages. Number one, I’d do everything I could to get them back. I’d do what Trump did. I’d put Mexico on notice. ‘If you continue to give safe haven to fentanyl drug dealers, then you’re an enemy of the United States.'”

Graham noted that tens of thousands of Americans have died from overdoses from fentanyl coming across the border and criticized President Joe Biden.

“This administration has done nothing about it,” he said. “I’m going to introduce legislation, Jesse, to make certain Mexican drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations under U.S. law and set the stage to use military force if necessary to protect America from being poisoned by things coming out of Mexico.”

He concluded, “I would tell [the] Mexican government, ‘If you don’t clean up your act, we’re gonna clean it up for you.'”

According to former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, former President Donald Trump once suggested the U.S. bomb Mexico to thwart the cartels.

Watch above via Fox News.