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Lisa Booth
Welcome to the Truth with Lisa Booth, where we get to the heart of the issues that matter to you. While we've been covering the events unfolding in Iran, it was not too long ago in Mexico where the country erupted in chaos after Mexican forces took out cartel boss El Mencho. And the retaliation was swift. And we remember a roadblock, shootings and chaos south of the border. So we're going to revisit that and where Mexico is now in all of this, what that means for drugs coming into the United States. And we're going to talk to Sarah Carter. You know her from Fox News, which was recently confirmed as the new United States Drug czar and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. We're diving straight in. You know, how does this cartel power directly impact her job with what's going on in Mexico and around the world? And, you know, also with Joe Biden having open borders for four years and just allowing millions, millions of illegal aliens into the United States, how does that complicate her job in trying to cut down the influx of drugs into the United States and trying to save American lives from overdoses as well. What kind of drugs are coming into the country? Where are they coming from? And what is the Trump administration doing to stop it? All that and more with my friend, Sarah Carter. Well, Sarah Carter, I miss you so much at Fox, but I'm so proud of you. Just finally got confirmed and you're doing big things, so it's great to catch up on here, but I miss seeing you and giving you a hug around Fox. But congratulations.
Sarah Carter
I miss you, too. I know.
Lisa Booth
I miss you, but congratulations on the confirmation.
Sarah Carter
Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I Got confirmed on January 6th. Interesting date. And, and then I was, I was already in D.C. for about eight months working as a special advisor to President Trump, the greatest president in modern political history. We've just, in the last few months, since being confirmed, have just hit the ground running. We were working intensely. I have a great team here at the Office of National Drug Control Policy, an amazing team that has been hyper focused on, you know, fulfilling all of our obligations, allegations to the American people and saving lives, which is central to our mission, ensuring that we're saving lives and giving people the resources and the tools that they need to fight against the scourge of drugs, illicit drugs on our streets that are killing our citizens. And so we're doing that both on an international level, we're doing that on a national level and across the board, whether that's on the supply side, hammering the supply that's coming into our country, or on the demand side, because we have. And as you know, Lisa, my heart goes out to families that are suffering from addiction, from substance use disorder. And we want to make sure that we're working as a whole of government to be able to bring effective treatment to the people that need it and, and to save our children so that they never have to face that kind of pain in their lives.
Lisa Booth
Before we dig into that, what was the confirmation process like?
Sarah Carter
Grueling. You don't, you don't wish that. I mean, it's an incredible process. So it's part of the American political system, but nothing like experiencing it firsthand. You know, background checks, question after question after question, investigating everybody and anyone around you. You know, it doesn't matter if, like, you have people walking through your neighborhood, you know, FBI asking people questions about you, people that don't even know you, talking to your neighbors. And also it's the whole process of, like, going back like they were like, we're going to take you all the way back to when you were 18 years old. And I was kind of like, wow, you know, I'm, I'm. I, I, I. I want to say my age, but, you know, as a woman, I keep that. No, I'm in my 50s now, so going back to, like, 18 was like, I don't remember what happened. Wait a minute ago. Like, yeah, it's like, you want to be back? Yeah. You want to take me back to 18? I'm like, oh, geez, please don't let me forget anything. I don't remember. Am I. Am I in a poly right now? Are they going to poly me on this? I mean, I don't remember. And so it was. It was an incredible process. It's a grueling process, but it's one that's necessary. You know, we're here to serve the American people. I'm here because I love my country. My husband served his country and our country in a very different capacity, you know, in the military as a special operator and I believe line of duty, too. Yeah, yeah, he was wounded in the line of duty. He lost, you know, his eyesight in Afghanistan, Almost lost his life. We are constantly working to ensure that we are serving our nation. And so it's important that when we do this process, that when the government puts us through this process and then the Senate finally confirms us that we're ready and we're able to take charge and then lead our teams so that. So that the president has the best people in place to serve him and to serve the American people who voted for him. And so I just feel blessed and humbled to be able to do that.
Lisa Booth
You were in Mexico around the time of the. The killing of notorious cartel leader El Mencho, which then set off sort of like mass chaos in Mexico. Talk about that, the importance of his killing, and then what does that mean for your capacity and your job as drug czar?
Sarah Carter
Look, it's huge. It sent a message across Mexico and across the globe, actually, that if we can get El Mencho, which means the Ghost, because he was very elusive, it was very difficult even for our intelligence agencies and other intelligence agencies to track this cartel boss down, this foreign terrorist organization's leadership, down to the point where we had actionable intelligence to target him and his, I would say, major lieutenants to track them down and to remove him. Now, the operation changes everything. And the question that you is right on target, because it sends a message across the globe that if we can get El Mencho, we can get anybody right And I made sure that when I was in Mexico, that that was the message that I delivered to the Mexican people. Like, look, this is about targeting one of the most notorious cartel leaders on the planet. And for me, it was important to be there. So we arrived about a day and a half is what I'm guesstimating. Right after El Mencho operation had begun. The Mexican troops who led the operation were led by General Trevilla, he is the Defense Minister. So he led the operation to target El Mencho with the assistance of the United States. So we worked together on this operation, but the boots on the ground were the Mexican officials. And believe me, they had suffered extraordinary losses. So when they went into Jalisco to target El Mencho, they had lost three special operators right off the bat during that operation. And then there were 33 National Guard they call Joardia Nacional in Mexico. So their National Guard, they had lost 33. And then it went up. The numbers kept climbing. And the intensity of that operation was unlike any we had seen in the past, really. They had attempted to try to capture El Mencho at first, but obviously there was, and I'll tell you something interesting. There was an altercation. So they had been following El Mencho's girlfriend. And this, this information is out there not telling anybody anything that's not classified. So they were tracking the girlfriend. He couldn't stay away from his women, so that, that did him in. So they, they ended up finding his location. When the operation began, according to the folks that I spoke with, you know, El Mencho was, was obviously on the run. His men were firing weapons at, you know, the, the special operators that were on the ground that were targeting them. There was weapon fire being back and forth. El Mancho was obviously struck. Some people I talked to said he didn't have enough cardio, so he didn't make it always bring cardio to a gunfight. He couldn't outrun and shoot at the same time. They, they, they tried to get him back out of the area to a medical facility. He died on the way out of Jalisco. So it was a very intense battle. These guys out resource many of our law enforcement officials and organizations, these organizations, These cartels, these FTOs, have amassed hundreds of billions of dollars, Lisa. Hundreds of billions of dollars. Especially if you look at the border being wide open under Biden, how much money they amassed under there in human trafficking and drug trafficking, they are, they have communication systems and technologies that sometimes outpace our own, especially on local and state level law enforcement in Mexico. It's the same issue. They have weapons. They've amassed weapons, armored vehicles, military vehicles, uniforms. So many of them operate like shadow governments in a way. You get into these mountainous regions, whether it's Sinaloa or up in Jalisco or other areas of Mexic where these guys are walking around, and if you didn't know any wiser, you would think, oh, this is a Mexican military. This might be Federales. No, it's not. It's cjng. You know, it's Jalisco, Nuevo Generacion. You're dealing with the most dangerous and deadly cartels on the planet. And now they have the equipment and the skills and the training and the communications that many of our law enforcement officials would envy. Right? So this battle, this fight between Mexican, Mexican defense and our, the Ministry of Defense and working together with the United States to get actionable intelligence to target this player was absolutely incredible. It went beyond anything we've ever seen before. And I'm going to tell you why. Because we have President Trump in office and he has been on the phone with President Sheinbaum back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, and kind of laying the groundwork for this to happen. And because of that, our relationship with Mexico, although many times strained and we don't agree politically on a lot of paths forward, but when it comes to narcotics and when it comes to protecting the American people and our children, that is number one. That will always be number one. But we want to work together because why we want our neighbors to be as safe as us, because that puts America first. So if we continue down this path. And that's why I was in Mexico working closely with the Security Cabinet. I had bilateral meetings with the Mexican Security Cabinet. I met with their Foreign Minister, De la Fuentes, and I continued those talks with the ambassador here, Moctezuma, here in the United States, continuing to work together for a common goal. It not only, you know, protects the American people, which is primary and first and foremost, but it protects the entire hemisphere and gets us right back to where President Trump wants us to be, which is protecting the Western hemisphere so we can put the American people first.
Lisa Booth
Gotta take a quick commercial break. More with Director Carter on the other side.
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Lisa Booth
where are most the drugs coming into the country from?
Sarah Carter
We've got them coming in, most of them are coming in through the border now. We're seeing a lot of the, the, the air cargo, mail. We're still seeing drugs coming in through the border. We're still stopping it, thank God. We've got an incredible border patrol and incredible, you know, employees with our DHS working with us, but we're also getting them by sea. We've seen, you know, President Trump and the operations out in the Caribbean striking the boats out at see, we've seen in Colombia an incredible growth sadly of coca and we're seeing cocaine on the rise. We also see methamphetamine and the purity of methamphetamine on the rise. So the cartels are always going to try to find new choke points. Right? That's what we're looking for is where are those choke points so we can stop them to try to get their narcotics into the country. But we have seen a decrease. Right now the flow of fentanyl into the United states is down 56% which is huge. There's, yeah, it's, it's, it's a huge, you know, drug traffickers, they're persistent and they'll, they'll use any other method possible to try to get the narcotics. In one of my first trips, Lisa was actually to Alaska, believe it or not, because I was so concerned. How is it that the drug traffickers, how is it that Sinaloa cartel is getting fentanyl into Alaska enough so, enough so that it became the number one killer of people between the ages of 18 and 45 in the state of Alaska. In a state where the population is like 750,000. Right. So how is this happening? Well, it's happening because they're getting it through the ports, through the mail, through the airport. So it's not just seaports, it's airports, it's mail. So we want to cut off those choke points. And we're seeing it work. We're working together. I'm telling you, I've never seen anything like this, especially as a whole of government. And being an investigative journalist in the past and watching what's happened in other administrations and seeing those failures in this administration, I can tell you this. I can pick up the phone and if I need to, I can reach out to Pam Bondi and have her on the other line right away. If the FBI director needs to reach out to me for anything, he can call me right away. If I need to talk to Rodney Scott over at cbp, he can reach me right away. I can reach him right away. Tom Homan, the same thing. We all know each other and we all work together, and that's what's driving these cartels out of their minds. They cannot and they will not be able to outsmart us in this administration because we have. We're working as a united front to protect the American people on this. And that's why we've seen a decrease in deaths just since President Trump took office of nearly 20%. So that for us is huge. It should be even less. So we don't want to see 80,000 deaths or nearly 80,000 deaths. We want it to be zero deaths. But we are going to work towards that, and we are going to work towards saving our children from these cartels that are poisoning them and killing them.
Lisa Booth
And it's also China with the precursor. So, you know, walk us through sort of what's being done to sort of mitigate just the origination of fentanyl.
Sarah Carter
So one of the biggest things for me here at ondcp, the Office of National Drug Control Strategy, is our National Drug Control Strategy, which we will be releasing, I believe, in May. And so we're already in the process of finishing touches on this. This is the President's strategy for the United States. We're already doing it. It's already enacted. We're just enhancing that. And part of that is our supply chain, ensuring that the supply chain is clean from origination to its destination. And whether that. And that could be anything, that could be products coming from China and making sure that the cargo is not. That there's not fentanyl precursors on that cargo heading to Mexico or heading to any place else in the Western Hemisphere. And so I've been working very closely with my Chinese counterparts. In fact, I have some meetings coming up soon here in Washington, D.C. with our Chinese counterparts. And I was very direct. I went to the UN And I was at the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. I spoke there. I led the delegation for the United States in Vienna, Austria, and I gave the speech for the United States. And I called out China, I called out China for their continuing failure to ensure that clean supply chain. And we as a whole of government, and President Trump has made this very clear, are going to hold them accountable for that. So we expect the supply chain to be clean. And that means that China has to do their part to ensure that manufacturers in China and those that are processing these precursor chemicals and creating these varying analogs are not getting that into our supply chain. And we've given them a number of opportunities. FBI Director Kash Patel's met with his counterparts on this. I'm meeting with my counterparts on this. And we're just going to keep being a hammer, and we are going to continue to inspect those supply chains. And look, we're going to put the onus on private industry as well. Look, if you want to import products into the United States, then you have to ensure that your supply chain is clean. And if it's not, we're going to be a hammer. And if it's clean, guess what? We're going to give you a carrot, right? We're going to make it better for you to bring your products into the US to import those products. As long as that that chain is clean. And that's something that is central to our mission and to our work. So it, it is. It is right where we need it to be right now as far as our ongoing negotiations. And I can tell you this, China and the United States, we are continuing down that road. And I will continue to be a hammer on China. And we know where it's coming from. I've always said this, Lisa, and I'm not going to change anything now that I'm in government. I've been tough on this in the past. Our adversaries know that bringing poison into our country weakens our nation. It breaks our communities. It breaks the foundation of our nation. It harms our children. It destroys families. And our adversaries, they're not doing. This isn't an accident. This is Purposeful. And I've always said that if China doesn't want us to call them out publicly, then they need to stop it. Because the CCP President Xi Jinping knows full well to a large extent what is exiting his nation and what is coming to our nation. So the most important thing for China to understand, and I've made this very clear to my Chinese counterparts, is one, we want a clean supply chain. So the onus is on China for this. They know what's coming out of their country and they should stop it. And number two, we want deaths reduced in the United States. And that means a clean supply chain. It doesn't mean we change the chemical compound or have a new analog that the cartels can use to push more pills onto our streets that are pure poison to kill American people. We've seen the fentanyl, the reduction in deaths. We've also seen weaker fentanyl production, right? So the fentanyl that's coming, that's being adulterated into other narcotics, is sometimes weaker, but that doesn't mean it's any less deadly. We're seeing other chemical compounds out there that are deadly. And that's why we're also looking at emerging threats. And I want people to understand this, this is a national security issue. This is not just a horrible drug crisis, which of course it is, but it is a national security issue for our administration. And we want to ensure that that supply chain never becomes an even bigger threat than what it already is. So emerging threats is top of the line for us as well in the national drug control strategy. It's my first chapter and it will. It is up to us to do our job for the American people to ensure that we see what's coming into our country and that we stay 10 steps ahead of our advocates, adversaries so we're not caught off guard and seeing mass casualty events in the United States.
Lisa Booth
Got to take a quick break. If you like what you're hearing, please share on social media or send it to your family and friends.
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support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index Index with AI it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures kids pets life.
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Lisa Booth
Joe Biden let in millions of illegal aliens over a four year period of time into this country. How does it complicate your job and the job of the President in trying to protect people from drugs?
Sarah Carter
I mean, it's. It's super complicated when you think about it. I mean, what Joe Biden did to this nation and his administration during those four years was a crime against the American people. Period. It was a crime against America. It was a purposeful policy, Lisa. It was a policy that allowed people to just flood our nation with narcotics, with human trafficking. It harmed children on both sides of the border. God knows how many lost their lives not just from narcotics and the poisonings, but from the human trafficking element, which I covered extensively. So it harms us because it opened the door to terrorist organizations and by the way, funded by narcotics, these FTOs, these foreign terrorist organizations, whether it's Sinaloa Cartel, you know, cjng, you can name it, on and on and on. These people have nexus with other terrorist organizations in the Middle east, in the Far east. And those organizations use drug money to finance their terror. So who's in the United States? I mean, I think we've heard, you know, Director of dni, Tulsi Gabbard, we've heard Kash Patel, Pam Bondi, me, everybody warn about the fact that whoever crossed that border and was not vetted and had not been vetted is a potential threat to our nation. Is a potential threat to our nation. And by the way, it also allowed the cartels to establish more and more distribution networks in the country, because while they're all terrorists, they could then move in their supply into our nation, which is something we are looking at, and set up their own distribution networks. So, hey, if we shut down the border, are they processing drugs here in the US what do we need to be looking for? How do we need to target these cartels? I mean, because while they're operational on other, you know, in foreign nations, whether that be, you know, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, you name it, whether those guys are operational in other places, they're just as operational on our homeland. And they have developed distribution sites and areas both on the, you know, in the east coast to the west coast, to the Midwest, to the Southwest. So our law enforcement agencies, both on the federal, state and local level. And I feel so blessed because my office is provides the grants for the high intensity drug trafficking areas. Those are our Haida teams. And they are working day and night to root out these bad guys and to get them out of our country. And that's why this is a whole of government approach, because we can't do it without ice. We can't do it without, you know, working together with dhs, working together with, you know, Rodney Scott over at Border Patrol, working with our, you know, our teams, Tom Holman, everybody else, in an effort to. To get these bad players out of here. So it's not just about, you know, what were the terrorists that possibly crossed our border and how could they threaten us? Because that's. That is. That is a top priority to us on a national security level. But the national security level is too, is how do they crisscross a nexus with these drug trafficking organizations and who are the people that are here already that have made it across that border, that were never properly vetted under Biden, that now pose a direct threat in our communities and to our children. And it makes the job tougher, but it's not impossible. We are getting these guys out. And just like we got El mention, Lisa, we are going to get every single player in the United States out of here. We're going to get the bad guys in here in charge so they can't escape out of prison anywhere else. We're going to hold them, the top dogs, accountable and we're going to break their financing. And that's a big part of the puzzle, too. We don't want to just take the head off the snake. We want to take the head off the snake and then gut all of their coffers. We want to take their money away so that they cannot utilize that against us in the future and they cannot utilize it against a foreign government. It's a very complex process, but it's one that we absolutely can do and one that we absolutely can win.
Lisa Booth
You know, in hearing you talk about all this, I'm like, president Trump made the right decision, so she's gonna get them.
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Lisa Booth
like to leave us with before we go?
Sarah Carter
Look, I just want everyone to know and thank you so much, Lisa, for having me on the show. It means so much to me. In the end, this is not about the diplomacy or the politicking or what party we belong to. This is about all of us as Americans. This is about us as people. This is about people. The only reason I am here, really, is because our children need us, our community needs us. We need each other. We need to Work together, whether it's the angel families that have suffered the greatest loss that I can ever imagine. I have six children. I can't even imagine the pain and suffering that these families feel when they think back on their child. And their child, you know, accidentally ingested fentanyl at the age of 2 or 3 and died. Or, you know, people like Ann Funder who are standing up and fighting for other families because their 15 year old child died because they took a pill that was pure poison that they thought was something else. This is about us. And if I can leave anybody with anything, it's about why we need to work together. This is a bipartisan issue. This should not be a partisan issue. We should all be willing to work together to save our nation and to save our children. And if, you know, I have a deep faith in God, then I pray on that all the time. And I pray for our country and I pray that I make the right decisions and that I do the right thing. But if I could leave anybody with anything is just, you know, fight for each other. Realize that unless we are working together, we can't win this. We all have to be on the same page here. These people are. The evil is. The evil is working against us 24 7. These nefarious organizations. They don't care about our children. They don't care about our nation. They don't care about the future. We don't want to give them an inch. We want to be a force to be reckoned with. And mama and papa bears out there, you know what? You are the force. Stand up for your kids. Fight for them. Don't worry about all of the politics and everything. Worry about what we can do as a nation to fight these cartels and to save our country for the future and for generations to come. Amen.
Lisa Booth
Sarah Carter, the United States Drug Czar and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Love you, my friend. It's great to hear from you. I'm very proud of you.
Sarah Carter
Thank you. Love you too, Lisa. Thank you for having me on.
Lisa Booth
That was Sarah Carter, drug czar and director. Excuse me. That was Sarah Carter, drug czar and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Appreciate her for making the time to come on this show. Appreciate you guys at home for listening every Tuesday and Thursday, but you can listen throughout the week. Also want to thank John Cassio, my producer, for putting the show together. Until next time.
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Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (Special: The Truth with Lisa Boothe)
Episode: Sara Carter on Fentanyl Crisis, Cartel Crackdown & Trump Drug Policy
Date: March 19, 2026
Hosts: Lisa Boothe (with guest Sara Carter, U.S. Drug Czar)
Episode Theme:
A deep dive into the U.S. fentanyl crisis, the evolving threat posed by Mexican drug cartels, the impact of border security policies, U.S.–Mexico collaboration, China’s role in the supply chain, and the Trump administration’s approach to fighting drug deaths and trafficking under new Drug Czar Sara Carter.
Lisa Boothe interviews Sara Carter, recently confirmed as the United States Drug Czar and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The discussion addresses the recent assassination of cartel boss El Mencho, the state of Mexico’s battle against cartels, ongoing cross-border drug trafficking, China’s role in fentanyl precursor supply, and how U.S. drug control is evolving under the Trump administration. The episode emphasizes national security, the human toll of addiction, and calls for bipartisan solutions.
The Confirmation Process
(07:10–09:21)
“It’s a grueling process, but it’s one that’s necessary... I just feel blessed and humbled to be able to do that.” (08:56)
Personal Motivation
“We are constantly working to ensure that we are serving our nation.” (08:19)
Significance of El Mencho’s Death
(09:21–16:08)
The killing of El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), sent "a message across Mexico and across the globe."
Carter details the sophistication and militarization of cartels, which sometimes surpass local law enforcement:
“These cartels... have amassed hundreds of billions of dollars... they have communication systems and technologies that sometimes outpace our own, especially on local and state level law enforcement.” (12:47)
U.S.–Mexico Cooperation
Carter held bilateral talks with Mexico’s Security Cabinet, Foreign Minister, and maintains close cooperation with the Mexican ambassador to the U.S.
U.S. aims to protect not only itself, but strengthen security across the hemisphere.
Notable Quote
“If we can get El Mencho, we can get anybody, right?” (10:04)
Entry Points and Trends
(20:17–23:38)
Majority of drugs, especially fentanyl and methamphetamine, are smuggled via the southern border, but air cargo, mail, airports, and seaports are also used.
Alert to the cartel's adaptability in finding new “choke points” for smuggling.
Alaska was highlighted as seeing a surge in fentanyl deaths due to smuggling via mail and air.
Improvements:
Notable Quote
“The flow of fentanyl into the United States is down 56%, which is huge.” (21:25)
Importance of a Unified Approach
“We’re working as a united front to protect the American people... that’s what’s driving these cartels out of their minds.” (22:24)
China is a major source of fentanyl precursors shipped to Mexico or directly to the U.S.
Carter is leading tough negotiations with Chinese counterparts and public pressure (e.g., at the UN Vienna conference).
The forthcoming National Drug Control Strategy will emphasize cleaning the supply chain, with economic incentives and punishments for compliance/noncompliance.
Notable Quote:
“The onus is on China for this. They know what’s coming out of their country and they should stop it.” (27:10)
Carter stresses this is both a drug crisis and a national security issue:
“This is a national security issue... it’s up to us to do our job for the American people to ensure that we see what’s coming into our country and that we stay 10 steps ahead of our adversaries.” (28:46)
Carter is sharply critical of President Biden’s immigration policies, claiming open borders enabled narcotics and human trafficking, increased cartel distribution networks inside the U.S., and opened the door for possible terrorist infiltration.
Notable Quote:
“What Joe Biden did to this nation and his administration during those four years was a crime against the American people. Period.” (32:50)
Emphasizes links between foreign terrorist organizations and drug trafficking in the U.S.—both in funding and domestic presence.
Law Enforcement Collaboration
“We don’t want to just take the head off the snake. We want to take the head off the snake and then gut all of their coffers.” (36:56)
Carter closes with an emotional plea:
“This is about all of us as Americans. This is about us as people... The only reason I am here, really, is because our children need us, our community needs us... This is about us.” (37:50)
She references stories of “angel families” who lost loved ones to fentanyl, and urges unity beyond politics:
“This should not be a partisan issue. We should all be willing to work together to save our nation and to save our children.” (39:10)
Memorable Encouragement:
“Mama and papa bears out there, you know what? You are the force. Stand up for your kids. Fight for them...” (39:35)
On Cartel Capabilities:
“These organizations... have weapons, armored vehicles, military vehicles, uniforms. So many of them operate like shadow governments in a way.” —Sara Carter (12:59)
On the China Supply Chain:
“I called out China for their continuing failure to ensure that clean supply chain. And we as a whole of government... are going to hold them accountable for that.” —Sara Carter (24:36)
On the human impact:
“I have six children. I can't even imagine the pain and suffering these families feel when they think back on their child... accidentally ingested fentanyl at the age of 2 or 3 and died.” —Sara Carter (38:05)
| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Sara Carter’s confirmation and role | 04:06–09:21 | | El Mencho operation and impact | 09:21–16:08 | | Where drugs enter the U.S. | 20:17–23:38 | | China’s role and national drug control strategy | 23:38–29:20 | | Border security policy impacts | 32:31–37:29 | | Emotional close: bipartisanship, families, unity | 37:43–40:06 |
This episode offers a candid and comprehensive exploration of America’s drug crisis as seen from the highest levels of policy and enforcement. Sara Carter, as the new Drug Czar, shares sobering realities about cartel power, bold wins and ongoing struggles in the war on drugs, the international complexity of fentanyl’s supply chain (particularly involving China), and the need for a truly united front—across state lines and political boundaries. The tone is urgent, hopeful, and deeply personal, with Carter consistently returning to the impact on families and the call for all Americans to stand together.