On May 13, 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico.

On May 13, 1846,

the United States declared war on Mexico.

President James Poe claimed that America had been attacked.

But in reality, the invasion was a brazen land grab.

American troops made it all the way to Mexico City.

And the US annexed much of today's Western United States. The future founder of the Republican Party, an Illinois congressman named Abraham Lincoln, passionately opposed the war.

But today's Republicans have Mexico in their sights once again.

Back when he was president,

Donald Trump asked defense secretary Mark Sperg,

if he could launch missiles at Mexico's drug cartels without

Mexico's permission and then blame the attack on another country.

We could do it quietly, Trump said.

No one would know it was us.

Esper told him the idea was ridiculous, an act of war against one of America's biggest trading partners.

But Trump would not back down and an oval office fantasy

I will deploy all necessary military assets

Became a 2024 campaign pledge

Justified military force to decimate the cartel.

You tell the Mexican president either you do it or we do it.

And soon it was a popular Republican policy.

Over 20 Republican congressmen have signed on to a vast war power authorization on my orders like the measures for Iraq and Afghanistan.

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