Derek Maltz, a former acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), has expressed that the United States' current engagement with drug cartels is unprecedented in intensity. He emphasizes the need for the U.S. to adopt an offensive stance rather than a defensive one in the battle against narco-trafficking. He specifically calls for targeting threats aggressively, highlighting the significant drug production in places like Colombia alongside Mexico, which underscores the urgency of a robust response to drug trafficking.