Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released a statement Monday outlining how her office has supported the identification and arrest of cartel figures after President Donald Trump designated several cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Gabbard said the designation expanded the authority of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to apply long-standing counterterrorism capabilities to cartel activity.

“President Trump has already taken historic action, immediately, to secure our borders in record time and designated several cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. A move that had empowered our national counter-terrorism here at ODNI (Office of the Director of National Intelligence) to deploy over two decades of counter-terrorism expertise towards detecting and deterring cartels and gangs like never before. In just one year, this designation by President Trump prevented more than 10,000 individuals with direct ties to narco-terrorism from accessing our country. We work very closely with our partners at the federal, state, and local levels.

We’ve assisted them in the apprehension of several cartel terrorists, including a Sinaloa cartel boss known as El Pato, who allegedly led a vast network of drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping and murder. Another example is a CJNJ-affiliated baby trafficker, called La Diabla, who preyed on vulnerable pregnant women in Mexico, lured them to remote areas, cut out their babies, harvested their organs, and sold these newborn babies. These are just a few examples of the progress that’s been made towards ending the gang and cartel violence that’s plagued the American people and put our lives at risk for far too long.”

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Gabbard’s remarks follow President Trump’s decision to formally designate several cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, a move that allows federal agencies to apply counterterrorism tools and intelligence resources to cartel operations.

Earlier Monday, reports indicated that the United States provided intelligence to Mexico that assisted in an operation resulting in the death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel.

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Details about the specific intelligence shared, or which U.S. intelligence component provided it, have not been publicly disclosed.

According to prior reporting, American intelligence support aided Mexico’s operation against Oseguera Cervantes.

Cartel violence and drug trafficking operations have affected both Mexico and the United States, and U.S. agencies have worked with Mexican counterparts on intelligence-sharing efforts targeting cartel leadership.

The designation of cartels as foreign terrorist organizations enables the U.S. government to use expanded intelligence-gathering authorities and counterterrorism tools traditionally focused on international extremist groups.

Those tools include tracking financial networks, identifying cross-border operations, and coordinating with federal, state, and local partners to identify individuals linked to narco-terrorism.

Gabbard’s statement referenced cooperation at multiple levels of government and highlighted specific cases in which U.S. intelligence support assisted in the apprehension of individuals tied to cartel activity.

Among those cited were a Sinaloa cartel figure known as El Pato and an individual identified as La Diabla, described as affiliated with CJNJ.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence coordinates intelligence efforts across agencies and works with domestic and international partners.

The terrorist designation broadens the scope of tools available to agencies involved in border security and cartel investigations.

U.S. intelligence capabilities include surveillance assets and analytical resources that can be deployed to track transnational criminal networks.

The recent actions cited by Gabbard reflect expanded coordination between intelligence agencies and law enforcement following the designation decision.

While Gabbard identified specific individuals whose arrests were supported by intelligence efforts, additional operational details were not disclosed.

Intelligence officials often withhold specifics about ongoing investigations and methods.

The developments come as federal agencies continue efforts to counter cartel operations that impact communities in both the United States and Mexico.

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