President Donald Trump vowed to reassert American dominance against the “murderous” cartels in Mexico during the State of the Union Tuesday.

“As president, I will make peace wherever I can, but I will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must,” Trump said.

‘We’re also restoring American security and dominance.’

Trump’s remarks come just days after Mexico went up in flames following the death of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, one of the country’s “most sinister cartel kingpins.”

Oseguera Cervantes was the head of the notorious Jalisco New Generation cartel, whose vast and violent criminal enterprises prompted the Trump administration to classify it as a terrorist organization.

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Photo by Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images

“We’re also restoring American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere, acting to secure our national interests and defend our country from violence, drugs, terrorism, and foreign interference,” Trump said.

“For years, large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico, … have been controlled by murderous drug cartels. That’s why I designated these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.”

The cartel boss was captured by Mexican special forces on Sunday with the help of complementary American intelligence in Jalisco, igniting chaos across the country. In the moments after his elimination, footage showed a Costco engulfed in flames as well as firefights and roadblocks in the streets across Mexico.

The chaos prompted a shelter-in-place advisory from the State Department, leaving many tourists no other option but to hunker down at their resorts.

RELATED: ‘Start driving north’: US tourists stranded in Mexico after slaying of top cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ sparks chaos

Trump’s warnings to cartels was not unique to Mexico. Tuesday night, the president reflected on the military campaign he led against alleged Venezuelan drug boats leading up to Nicolas Maduro’s capture, joking that his intervention impacted the drug business and the fishing business.

“Nobody wants to go fishing anymore!” he said.

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President Donald Trump garnered loud applause and cheers when he recognized the gold medal-winning Olympic men’s hockey team at his State of the Union speech Tuesday night.

The team walked down the aisles of the press gallery and waved as the members of Congress applauded and chanted.

‘What a special job you did, what special champions you are!’

“Here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud: the men’s gold-medal Olympic hockey team! Come on in!” said the president.

“USA! USA! USA!” chants erupted from the members.

“I just want to say … a very big congratulations to Team USA,” said the president.

The president praised the team before announcing that he would be giving goalie Connor Hellebuyck the highest civilian honor: the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“What a special job you did! What special champions you are!” said the president. “Thank you very much!”

The men’s team won a thrilling match against the Canadian team in overtime Sunday to take the gold for the U.S. for the first time in 46 years.

Earlier Tuesday, the team visited the White House as guests of the president. While some expressed anger that the team accepted the invite from the president, New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes defended the decision.

RELATED: Trump personally congratulates Olympic men’s hockey team, tells them he would be ‘impeached’ if he doesn’t do THIS

“Everything is so political. We’re athletes,” he said Monday evening. “We’re so proud to represent the U.S., and when you get the chance to go to the White House, meet the president, you know, we’re proud to be Americans, that’s so patriotic. No matter what your views are, we’re super excited to go to the White House and just be part of that.”

The women’s hockey team also took the gold at the Olympics, but they declined the invite from the president after citing previously scheduled commitments.

Hughes also defended the decision from the women’s team.

RELATED: ‘It’s the greatest country in the world’: USA hockey’s Hughes praises America after epic win

“People are so negative out there, and they are just trying to find a reason to put people down and make something out of almost nothing,” he said.

“I think everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them. And we know the same way we feel about them, they feel about us,” he added.

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