U.S. President Donald Trump sparked controversy by commemorating the 1847 U.S. invasion of Mexico and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo as a “legendary victory”. This historical conflict resulted in the loss of more than 55% of Mexican territory, including the present-day states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
In a message released by the White House on the anniversary of the treaty, signed on February 2, 1848, Trump extolled the military occupation of Mexico City and the victories in California and New Mexico. According to the president, this historical episode consolidated U.S. sovereignty over the southwestern part of the country.
“Today we commemorate the 178th anniversary of our nation’s triumph in the Mexican–American War, a legendary victory that secured the southwestern United States for us”, Trump said.
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Manifest Destiny and the territorial expansion of the United States
During his address, Trump revived the ideology of Manifest Destiny, justifying the territorial expansion of the United States to the Pacific Ocean. Furthermore, he recalled Texas’s independence in 1836 and its subsequent annexation in 1845, events that intensified tensions with Mexico and led to war.
Trump linked the historical episode to his current policies on border security, immigration, and combating drug trafficking, emphasizing the defense of U.S. sovereignty.
Claudia Sheinbaum responds: “We are not Santa Anna”
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected Trump’s statements, defending Mexico’s sovereignty and historical dignity.
“We are not Santa Anna. We must defend sovereignty”, Sheinbaum said, referring to the former Mexican president historically associated with the military defeat of 1847.
The president underscored that Mexico does not accept historical reinterpretations that glorify U.S. expansionism or minimize the impact of the war and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. She reiterated that the bilateral relationship must be based on mutual respect between sovereign nations.
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Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: Mexico’s largest territorial cession
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo formally ended the Mexican-American War in 1848. As a result:
- Mexico ceded more than 525,000 square miles, equivalent to more than half of its territory.
- The United States paid 5 million and assumed the financial claims of U.S. citizens.
Historians agree that this cession was forced, signed after the military occupation of the Mexican capital. For the United States, it meant access to the Pacific; for Mexico, one of the greatest territorial losses in its history.
Texas became independent from Mexico in 1836 after the Mexican defeat at the Battle of San Jacinto, where Antonio López de Santa Anna was captured. Under duress, he signed the Treaties of Velasco, recognizing Texan independence and laying the groundwork for the subsequent territorial expansion of the United States.
