A member of the Sinaloa Cartel admitted in an interview with CNN that President Donald Trump’s strong border security measures have made the cartel’s criminal operations more difficult, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
The masked man, identified as a leader within the organization once run by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, acknowledged that Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration and drug smuggling has directly affected cartel activity.
The interview was conducted by CNN senior national correspondent David Culver in the back of an SUV. The cartel figure, dressed in a black mask, sunglasses, hat, and gloves to shield his identity, answered questions about how U.S. policies have impacted cartel operations.
“From killing to coordinating smuggling operations, he says he’s done it all,” Culver reported. When asked if President Trump’s policies had made his job harder, the cartel leader responded, “Oh yeah. Yeah.” When pressed further, he added, “Yep.”
The admission comes as cartels have been forced to raise prices for smuggling migrants across the southern border. According to Fox News, migrants are now paying up to $10,000 per person to cross illegally, compared to about $6,500 prior to Trump’s border enforcement measures.
The cartel member also claimed that while he has killed people, he believes he is still “a good person,” telling CNN, “I did what I had to do.” He said his goal in speaking out was to discourage others from joining drug gangs.
“It’s not a life. It’s not good,” he said in broken English. Switching to Spanish, he warned, “Once you get in, you can’t get out.”
CNN to a Senior Leader of the Sinaloa Cartel: “Do you think what President Trump has been doing has been making your job tougher?”
SINAOLOA CARTEL: Yes.
GOOD! pic.twitter.com/CFgxuVXX2n [2]
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 30, 2025 [3]
This is not the first time a Sinaloa Cartel figure has pointed to Trump’s policies as a disruption to cartel business. Margarito “Jay” Flores Jr., who along with his brother became wealthy through ties to El Chapo’s network, praised Trump’s aggressive approach in an interview last month.
“I think the aggressive approach is going to send a strong message to every drug trafficker across Latin America and places like Venezuela that’s used as a transport hub from Mexican cartels and Colombian organizations,” Flores told Fox News.
That approach continues to expand. NBC News recently reported that the United States is preparing operations targeting drug gangs operating in Venezuela, an area increasingly used as a key hub for trafficking networks.
The cartel admissions underscore how U.S. policy under Trump has increased costs, tightened movement, and made smuggling more dangerous for criminal networks long reliant on a porous border.