Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Who is Ronald Johnson, Trump’s pick for Mexican ambassador?

The news that Donald Trump has appointed veteran Ronald Johnson to Mexico marks a sea change in the way the United States is looking to deal with it’s southern neighbour. What should Mexicans expect from the new appointee in the coming years, asks María Meléndez?

Best known for his military and intelligence experience, Johnson is a former Green Beret and a veteran who specialized in unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency, and counterterrorism operations. After his military service, Johnson joined the CIA, where he dedicated over twenty years to intelligence operations in Latin America. His assignments involved disrupting drug trafficking networks and combating transnational organized crime.

Who is new U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson?

Under the previous Trump administration, Johnson worked as the U.S. ambassador to El Salvador, where he worked closely with strongman leader Nayib Bukele to counter gang violence, human trafficking and illegal migration in the beleaguered Central American nation. Critics, however, point to Johnson’s policies as fundamentally flawed and failing to deal with the the root causes of crime and instability.

Johnson’s appointment represents a significant change in U.S. diplomatic representation in Mexico. His background suggests a shift toward a greater focus on security collaboration between the two countries, rather than a a more traditional emphasis on political issues and cross-border trade. 

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed her desire to maintain a cooperative relationship with the new ambassador, though, despite rhetoric around the use of U.S. drone warfare against targets in the country. The threat of unilateral action has also seen her underline the importance of respecting Mexico and its sovereignty. 

Mexico News Daily

27 COMMENTS

  1. El Salvador was successful in greatly reducing violence. But while they did they trampled on due process. If the US goes into Mexico unilaterally hopefully the administration will be sued. We aren’t El Salvador. The constitution applies to how our government deals with individuals. All individuals outside of war.

  2. haha ok sue the US government, wow, that will get you know where. Your Air force is nonexistent and if the USA wants to take out cartels around the country, there is nothing MX can do to stop it. What?? Fly Propeller planes against the jets of the USA?? LOL!!!

  3. Mexico is a valued trading partner, our closest neighbor B-more Americans have Hispanic roots than any other ancestry.
    We don’t need to treat the world’s 10th largest economy like a step child. Respect, co-ordinator activities, and persue criminals together.
    Personally, as an expat, I would like to see US criminals selling guns to Mexican cartels extradited for Mexican justice in a Mexican prisión.

      • i thought that too ! haha…. i once had a short conversation w a young expat here… he is a former US Army… he said: one day he understood the whole Central bankiing system…..paused… looking at me to see if i understand him… yes… i do…. and then he said : and then they send us ( to be killed in war) .. he left the army… came to Mexico , married a pretty young woman and lives happily in a small mexican town not too far from PV… with a smile on his face

  4. Whatever the former Green Beret Ronald Johnson plans to do, we can only pray that he take seriously President Sheinbaum stressing the importance of treating Mexico and its sovereignty with due respect from now on. If not, there is little hope that anything can be worked out. Mexico will not be bullied. It would help if a reasonable agreement could be reached before everything goes out of control. We need Mexico and it would be a disaster to let go of our long mutual “friendship” to the extent that it’s still alive and well. It would be a serious mistake for the United States to permit our differences to tear us apart any further. Let’s hope the right person was chosen for the job! Only time will tell…

  5. The talk of military action against cartels is just that, talk. Its Trumps negotiation tactic to get Mexico to do more. It worked. And so has Scheinbaums pressure on the US to do more to stop the flow of guns. Kudos to Claudia for not taking his bait. She played her hand beautifully and intelligently!

  6. The word is “no” not “know”.
    You don’t need a prop plane to bring a jet or drone down. Jeez.
    Get out of your parent’s basement and learn what a sovereign nation is. Grow up.
    You are embarrassingly the rest of us Americans.

    • Mr. Stegowhite:
      There is enough division and controversy in the World, and they’re now creeping into, as comments/opinions by readers of MND. Everyone has there own self-entitled opinion and if they opt to share it in the MND reader comments, we should all accept that with our civil responses. We should also accept typos without damning criticism. So, I’ll close by pointing out as politely as possible that we all make grammatical mistakes in our submissions,, including yours in your above response.

      • You are right, division and controversy has taken over the US and gringos. Just part of the reason Mexicans are happier.

  7. So really, nothing has changed. Yes, the ‘former’ CIA employees are now out of the intelligence closet and aren’t hiding their affiliation even while running for elected office. But Ronald Johnson will not make policy. He will represent the power behind the throne in relation to Mexico and Mexico’s government, in the same way that all of his predecessors did. He will continue to push all of the hot buttons regarding Mexico-US relations in order to win concessions, all the while using language that sounds reasonable and diplomatic. The US is not the hegemon that it once was, and Mexico, while still heavily dependent on the US market, is growing stronger and more independent. The times they are a changin’, but in the US the new boss is the same as the old boss when it comes to Mexico and Latin America in general.

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Sheinbaum mañanera Oct. 29, 2025

Sheinbaum condemns US boat strikes near Mexico’s waters: Wednesday’s mañanera recapped

0
The U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats transporting alleged "narco-terrorists" in the Pacific Ocean on Monday were a key focus of President Claudia Sheinbaum's Wednesday morning press conference.
Sheinbaum mañanera Oct. 28, 2025

Sheinbaum dismisses claim of attack on security minister as ‘fiction’: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

5
President Claudia Sheinbaum fielded a question from a reporter on Tuesday about whether her security minister was targeted in a recent armed attack in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City where he has an office.
Sheinbaum mañanera Oct 27, 2025

Scheduled US tariff increase on hold after bilateral talks: Monday’s mañanera recapped

0
Sheinbaum said that she spoke to United States President Donald Trump on Saturday, and revealed that they had agreed to extend bilateral negotiations on trade and tariffs by a few weeks.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity