President-elect Donald Trump He spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday. The call was made two days after he announced it That he planned to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican imports on his first day in the White House.
Trump called the conversation “wonderful” and “very productive.” Posted on Truth Socialsaying the two leaders talked about border control and how to combat the flow of illegal drugs — but these topical talking points may be the only things the two can fully agree on.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during the Mexico-U.S. Leaders and Business Summit at the National Palace on Oct. 15, 2024 in Mexico City. (Photo by Yuri CORTEZ / AFP) (Photo by YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images
Earlier, Sheinbaum confirmed that he had spoken with Trump, and that they had discussed the shared border. writing in X: “I had a great conversation with President Donald Trump. We discussed Mexico’s strategy regarding the migration phenomenon and I told them that the caravans are not reaching the northern border because they are being guarded in Mexico.”
But Trump went further, declaring that the Mexican president had “agreed to halt migration from Mexico, and United Stateseffectively closing our Southern Border.”
In a follow-up messagehe added, “Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately. THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY TO STOP THE LEGAL INVASION OF THE US.”
President-elect Sheinbaum then directly contradicted the conversation, Publishing on X: “In my conversation with President Trump, I explained to him the comprehensive strategy followed by Mexico to combat the phenomenon of migration, respecting human rights. This allows migrants and caravans to be helped before they reach the border. We repeat this position of Mexico. It is not the case of closing the borders of governments and peoples. but to build bridges between them.”
Trump and Sheinbaum also agree that they talked about stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the US.
Sheinbaum wrote in X that they “discussed strengthening cooperation on security issues within the framework of our sovereignty and our ongoing campaign to prevent the use of fentanyl in the country.”
And following their call, Trump announced in Truth Social that part of his plan to combat the fentanyl epidemic in the US will be a massive advertising campaign.
“I will be working on a huge Advertising Campaign in the United States, explaining how bad Fentanyl is for people to use – Millions of lives are being needlessly destroyed,” Trump wrote. “By the time the campaign is over, everyone will know how bad the horror of this drug is.”
The call was arranged after Trump announced the plans this week slap rates Mexico, as well as Canada and China, in an effort to stop illegal border crossings and the flow of drugs into the US.
On Tuesday, Sheinbaum fired back, warning against starting a trade war that he said would harm the US.
“President Trump is not going to deal with US immigration and drug use with threats or tariffs,” Sheinbaum said at a press conference, reading the letter he wrote to Trump. “These great challenges require cooperation and mutual understanding.”
Trump also disputed his claims about migration and drugs, blaming the US for Mexico’s drug war, pointing to US consumption and American weapons.
“We don’t make weapons, we don’t use synthetic drugs. Those who are killed by crimes in response to the demand for drugs in your country are unfortunately our responsibility,” he said.
The swift rebuke came from Sheinbaum’s mentor, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who had a good relationship with Trump during his first term.
When Trump threatened Mexican tariffs and border closures in 2018, the two men negotiated a deal to help Mexican immigration enforcement with U.S. support, reducing numbers at the border, and Trump ignored his threats.
