President Donald Trump poured cold water on the idea that the U.S. and Mexico might reach an agreement by the end of the week that would avoid a 5 percent tariff going into effect on Mexican imports.
“I think it’s more likely that the tariffs go on,” Trump said at a press conference during a state visit to London.
Trump’s comment was in stark contrast to the hopeful comments from Mexican officials that an agreement would be reached.
“I think that we have 80 percent in favor of a negotiation [that would stop tariffs from being implemented], 20 percent that maybe it’s difficult to reach an agreement,” Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Tuesday at a press conference at the Mexican Embassy in Washington. “I’d suppose that the imposition of tariffs can be avoided.”
Last week, Trump made a surprise announcement that the U.S. would initiate a 5 percent tariff on imports from Mexico unless Mexico does more to stop the cascade of people from Central America crossing its territory to reach the U.S. Trump said the tariffs would kick-in on June 10 and rise 5 percent per month, reach 25 percent by October.
Watch: Startling Megyn Kelly Comments – Is She Getting Friendly With Islam Too?
Ex-Reality TV Star Exposes LA Mayor Over Wildfire Disaster to Her Face Mid-Debate
US intel community agreed before war ‘Iran wasn’t developing a nuclear weapon’: ex-counterterrorism chief
California county finds nearly 600 unopened ballots months after Newsom-backed redistricting measure passed
Trump motorcade drives across Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to inspect renovation efforts
Trump praises Susie Wiles’ cancer fight in surprise gala video: ‘Winning it decisively’
Trump takes motorcade into Reflecting Pool, blasts past ‘$38M disaster’ fix under Obama
Man indicted for allegedly posting gruesome death threats against Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi on social media
Paralyzed subway victim confronts attacker, calls his actions ‘evil’ at sentencing
EMT Students Snap Into Action When They Realize Instructor Isn’t Acting During Training Exercise: ‘OK, This Is Real’
State Department set to revoke passports of thousands of parents with unpaid child support debt
Prominent Democratic Mayor Announces Unexpected Resignation 6 Months After Re-Election
Child sex predators among 3 fugitives nabbed at Texas border in 24-hour CBP sweep
Watch: Dem State Rep Freaks Out So Badly During Redistricting Debate That He Makes Physical Contact with Cops
Southern Poverty Law Center pleads not guilty as CEO vows to fight fraud case
On Tuesday in London, Trump reiterated those plans. He also said that he did not think Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill would act to block the tariffs, saying it would be “foolish” to do so.
Trump has told close aides in similar situations that he thinks it is often necessary to apply tariffs first and negotiate deals afterward in order to prove he is not bluffing. He sees tariffs as motivating other countries that want access to U.S. consumers to make concessions in negotiations.
Story cited here.
