Senator Sherrod Brown, Vance’s Democratic counterpart in Ohio, agreed.
“I don’t know if we can quantify the dollars and the wealth it produces for China. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what they’re actually doing, » Brown said of China. « I think it’s important that, you know, we hit them. »
“These sanctions, if done right, cost them a lot of money. … We have to look for all the sources that fund this and that recycle these drugs,” she added.
Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Anne Milgram also called out the PRC for its role in the crisis, although she added that the DEA « will be ready » to work with other countries.
« For about the past year, we haven’t had the cooperation that we would like to have, » Milgram said on « Meet the Press, » noting that recent conversations Secretary of State Antony Blinken had with Chinese leaders during his trip in Beijing on the question « they are very important ».
Vance has also called for stronger military action from the White House to prosecute drug cartels.
« I want to empower the president of the United States, whether he’s a Democrat or a Republican, to use the power of the US military to go after these drug cartels, » Vance told Todd.
Vance is not alone in calling for the use of force to stem the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. Former President Donald Trump has spoken of sending « special forces » and using « cyber warfare » to target leaders of the cartel whether he’s elected president in 2024, and has called for « battle plans » according to a Rolling Stone report hit Mexico while he was in charge. Representatives Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) and Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) introduced a bill to authorize the use of military force to « go to war with the cartels.” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said he was willing to send US troops to Mexico to target the cartels. And some prominent Republicans have called for bombing drug cartels in Mexico.
Vance also said in the interview that the US should step up economic pressure on Mexico, arguing it would help US workers in the long run.
“Do you really want to help American companies? Stop the flow of this poison that is making our workforce and our entire country more desperate and less able to get up and go to work,” she said.
