President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday. The call came two days after he announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico on his first day in the White House.
Trump called the conversation “wonderful” and “very productive” in an article on Truth Social, saying the two leaders talked about border control and how to combat the flow of illegal drugs – but those topics topical conversation might be the only topics discussed. something both could completely agree on.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during the high-level summit between Mexican and American leaders and businesspeople at the National Palace in Mexico City on October 15, 2024. (Photo by Yuri CORTEZ / AFP) (Photo by YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images
Earlier today, Sheinbaum confirmed that she had spoken with Trump and that they had discussed the shared border, writing on X: “I had a great conversation with President Donald Trump. We discussed Mexico’s strategy on the migration phenomenon and I shared that. Caravans do not arrive at the northern border because they are handled in Mexico. »
But Trump went further, proclaiming that the Mexican president “agreed to end migration through Mexico and into the United States, effectively closing our southern border.”
In a follow-up message, he added: “Mexico will stop people from traveling to our southern border, effective immediately. THIS IS A LONG ROAD TO STOP THE ILLEGAL INVASION OF THE UNITED STATES. »
Sheinbaum then appeared to directly contradict the president-elect’s account of the conversation, posting on respect for human rights. This way, migrants and caravans are assisted before they reach the border. We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples.
Trump and Sheinbaum also agree that they have spoken about the need to stem the flow of illegal drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States.
Sheinbaum wrote on
And following their call, Trump announced on Truth Social that part of his plan to combat the fentanyl epidemic in the United States would be a major ad campaign.
“I will be working on a large-scale advertising campaign in the United States, explaining how bad fentanyl is for people – millions of lives are being needlessly destroyed,” Trump wrote. “By the time the campaign is over, everyone will know how serious the horror of this drug is.”
The call was organized after Trump announced plans this week to impose tariffs on Mexico, as well as Canada and China, in an effort to stem illegal border crossings and stop the flow of drugs entering the United States.
On Tuesday, Sheinbaum fired back, warning her not to start a trade war that she said would hurt the United States.
“President Trump, we will not deal with migration and drug use in the United States with threats or tariffs,” Sheinbaum said at a news conference, reading from a from a letter she wrote to Trump. “These great challenges require cooperation and mutual understanding.”
She also disputed Trump’s claims on migration and drugs, and she blamed the United States for Mexico’s drug war – pointing the finger at American consumption and American weapons.
“We do not make weapons, we do not consume synthetic drugs. Those who are killed by crime to meet the demand for drugs in your country are unfortunately our responsibility,” she said.
The swift rebuke marks a departure from Sheinbaum’s mentor, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who enjoyed a friendly relationship with Trump during his first term.
When Trump also threatened to impose tariffs on Mexico and close the border in 2018, the two men negotiated a deal to strengthen Mexican immigration controls with U.S. support, reducing the number of people at the border – and Trump dropped his threats.
