The killing of El Mencho, Mexico’s most wanted drug lord and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, has triggered a new wave of violence and fresh questions in Washington. Chief among them: Was President Donald Trump directly involved in the operation that took down one of the world’s most powerful narcotics traffickers?

Here’s what we know so far about El Mencho, the rise of the CJNG cartel, and the extent of US involvement in the raid that ended his life.

Who was El Mencho?

El Mencho, born Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, rose from a small-town upbringing in Michoacán to become one of the most feared divs in global drug trafficking.

He began his criminal career in the 1990s and later moved to the United States, where he was convicted in 1994 in federal court in Northern California for conspiracy to distribute heroin. After serving nearly three years in prison, he returned to Mexico. There, he helped build what would become the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known by its Spanish initials CJNG.

Under his leadership, CJNG transformed from a regional gang into a multinational trafficking empire. US authorities at the State Department had placed a $15 million bounty on his head, one of the largest rewards offered for a cartel leader. For years, he evaded capture through a mix of operational discipline, local alliances, and brute force.

What is the Jalisco New Generation Cartel?

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel emerged in the early 2010s and quickly became one of Mexico’s most aggressive criminal organizations.

How did CJNG become so powerful?

CJNG distinguished itself in several ways:
• Militarized tactics, including armored vehicles and high-caliber weapons.
• Sophisticated logistics networks spanning Mexico, the US, Europe, and Asia.
• Strategic violence used to intimidate rivals and local officials.

In 2015, cartel gunmen shot down a Mexican military helicopter with a rocket launcher during a failed attempt to capture El Mencho. The incident underscored the group’s firepower and its willingness to challenge the state directly.

What drugs did CJNG traffic?

US officials have repeatedly identified CJNG as a major supplier of:
• Fentanyl
• Methamphetamine
• Cocaine

Fentanyl, in particular, has become central to US concerns. The synthetic opioid has driven record overdose deaths in recent years.

How was El Mencho killed?

On February 22, Mexican Army forces conducted a raid that resulted in El Mencho’s death. According to official statements, the United States provided intelligence support.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm after the operation, as violence erupted in several areas. Armed CJNG members reportedly took to the streets, setting vehicles ablaze and clashing with security forces.

The operation appears to have been months in the making. Reuters reported that a newly launched US military-led task force played a role in intelligence gathering tied to the raid.

Was Trump involved in the killing of El Mencho?

The short answer: there is no public evidence that President Donald Trump personally directed the raid. However, his administration did play a supporting role through intelligence assistance.

The US provided intelligence support to Mexican authorities, according to a statement from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. She described El Mencho as a top target for both governments due to his alleged role in funneling fentanyl into the United States.

Reuters reported that the Joint Interagency Task Force Counter Cartel, a multi-agency US initiative launched last month, contributed intelligence that helped map cartel networks across the US-Mexico border.

This distinction matters. Intelligence support typically includes:
• Surveillance data
• Signals intelligence
• Cross-border financial tracking
• Coordination between law enforcement agencies

It does not necessarily mean US troops were directly involved in combat on Mexican soil.

What did Karoline Leavitt say?

In her statement, Karoline Leavitt said the US assisted the Mexican government with intelligence support and praised the Mexican military for executing the operation.

She also referenced the Trump administration’s designation of CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization last year. That move expanded the legal tools available to US authorities, potentially allowing for:
• Broader financial sanctions
• Increased surveillance powers
• Enhanced interagency coordination

Why does this matter for US Mexico relations?

El Mencho’s death is not just a cartel story. It is a test case for US Mexico security cooperation under the Trump administration.

There are three key implications:
1. First, intelligence sharing appears to be deepening, especially around fentanyl trafficking.
2. Second, Mexico retains operational control, which is politically sensitive given sovereignty concerns.
3. Third, cartel retaliation could destabilize regions critical to trade and migration management.

Will CJNG collapse without El Mencho?

History suggests cartel organizations rarely disappear with the death of a single leader. When Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was captured and later extradited, the Sinaloa Cartel fragmented but continued operating.

CJNG could face:
• Internal power struggles
• Short-term violence spikes
• Regional splintering

But its logistical infrastructure and global supply chains may endure.

TL;DR

El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was killed in a Mexican Army raid supported by US intelligence.
There is no evidence that President Trump personally directed the operation, but his administration provided intelligence assistance.
CJNG remains a major player in fentanyl and meth trafficking, and violence has surged following its death.
The operation highlights expanding US-Mexico counter-narcotics cooperation under Trump.