WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that drug cartels are running the US's southern neighbor amid a report that the CIA is expanding its drone operations in Mexico.

Asked by a reporter about whether the increased drone activity signals a new stage in the war against the cartels, Trump said: "Well, we're going to see."

The reporter asked a follow-up question about whether the US aircraft have the authority to take lethal action, to which Trump demurred.

"Mexico has allowed a tremendous number of people to go through their country and to ours, and even people coming from Mexico, and illegals, totally illegal," he said.

"I will say this: we're dealing with Mexico. I have a very good relationship with Mexico, but I think Mexico is largely run by the cartels, and that's a sad thing to say. If they wanted help with that, we'd give them help. But Mexico, if you look at what's gone on with Mexico for years now, but now, especially, it's run by the cartels, and they've allowed millions of people to come into our country from jails and prisons of other countries, from all over the world, not just South America -- Africa, Asia, all over, a lot from the Congo in Africa," he added.

The New York Times newspaper earlier reported that the CIA increased its drone activities over Mexico to hunt for illicit fentanyl factories, a previously secret policy that began under the Biden administration, but expanded by Trump. Anonymous officials told the Times that the aircraft have not been granted authorization to take lethal action. The officials said they do not envision the authority to conduct airstrikes being granted.