Mexico says a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft that flew over the Gulf of California On Monday was in international airspace.
The flight occurred just hours after both countries reached an agreement to delay President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
A USAF RC-135V Rivet Joint signals reconnaissance aircraft is currently loitering over the Gulf of California, hoovering up signals intelligence from Mexico.
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 3, 2025
One of the first concrete signs of new US military activity within Mexico. pic.twitter.com/2La1KHVA2m
According to the U.S. Air Force website, the type of military plane that flew near the Sonora and Sinaloa coast is used for intelligence collection.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said during her daily morning press conference that the flight had nothing to do with her agreement with President Trump this week to delay tariffs on her country for at least the next month, and that a foreign flight over international airspace isn’t unusual.
After a phone call with Trump on Monday, Sheinbaum agreed to send 10,000 Mexican National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, signaling a willingness to work with the United States on its security goals to stave off tariffs.
The U.S. Air Force did not confirm any details about the aircraft.