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.
Fox News Poll: Broad anxiety about AI doesn’t extend to jobs
Artemis II vs. Apollo: Why this mission loops the moon but doesn’t land
Trump Fires Off Heated Message After Walking Out of Supreme Court Oral Arguments
Sauer cites ‘striking’ figures on secretive birth tourism in high-stakes SCOTUS case
Trump highlights ‘day of prayer’ at National Mall next month with faith leaders
Ted Bundy unmasked in decades-old teen murder as cold case finally solved by DNA: report
Trump Goes to Supreme Court for Oral Arguments in Unprecedented Move
Trump says Artemis II launch is sign US is ‘WINNING, in Space, on Earth, and everywhere’
Trump working to clean ‘filthy’ Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, blames Biden for maintenance delays
Trump calls for second ‘big, beautiful bill’ to fund ICE on his desk by June 1
Audience of one: Trump watches from Supreme Court gallery during birthright citizenship arguments
Watch: Nancy Pelosi Plants Absurd Conspiracy Theory About the 2026 Election
Grand conspiracy investigation into Obama-era officials gains steam in South Florida
Impeach Them All: Rogue Judge Orders Trump to Restore Legal Status to Up to 900,000 Immigrants
Iran launches mass text-based recruitment drive, including minors, to join targeted security forces
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.
