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.
Trump used catering truck, Air Force One decoy to evade Iran threat: report
Family Recounts Chilling Meetings with Doctors, Nurses Before Beloved Grandmother Was Euthanized, Allegedly Against Her Will and Theirs
Dem Gov Maura Healey signs sweeping Massachusetts bill allowing abortions up to birth
Mamdani’s luxury-home tax rollout derailed for now as judge delivers win to NYC homeowners over massive list
Geraldo Proves Trump Right, Calls Haiti ‘Hell’ While Whining About Haitians Being Deported Home
Video: Caitlin Clark’s Suspension Reversed After Ref’s Bizarre Technical Overturned – This as Allegations of Open Racism Flare in WNBA
Fauci Admitted 2nd Dose of COVID Vaccine ‘Theoretically Could Be Associated with Miscarriage’ in Newly Released Texts
Rand Paul Finally Gets Inside Fort Knox Vault and Reveals His Findings
Unlicensed NYC boat operator allegedly ignored safety warnings before mother, baby died in capsizing: feds
Top Senate Dem’s new tax idea gets torched as critics warn nearly every American could pay
Major City Routing 911 Calls to AI to Decide Who Gets a Human and Who Doesn’t
Fauci in the hot seat as GOP senator tears into ‘truly sick’ vaccine texts: ‘Tip of the iceberg’
Fauci texts raising theoretical miscarriage concern after COVID vaccine dose spark backlash
State Department Has Revoked Over 175K Visas to Date for Criminals and Others During Trump’s 2nd Term
Graphic: UK Cop Tries to Arrest Man Who Bought Baseball Bat and Carried It Out of Store, Crowd Comes to Man’s Defense Instead of Cop’s
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.
