Washington, DC – President-elect Donald Trump engaged in a significant conversation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, marking their first exchange since Trump’s announcement of tariffs against Mexico. The discussion focused on strategies to curb migration through Mexico into the United States and combat drug trafficking across borders.

Trump expressed optimism about the dialogue, stating that Sheinbaum agreed to take action to halt the flow of migrants and drugs into the US, leading to the effective closure of the Southern Border. The two leaders also discussed collaborative efforts to address the influx of drugs into the United States.

The call between Trump and Sheinbaum followed Trump’s vow to impose a 25% tariff on products from Mexico and Canada. However, Trump did not confirm whether he would proceed with the tariff implementation following his conversation with Sheinbaum.

Sheinbaum described the exchange as “excellent” and emphasized Mexico’s existing approach to managing the migration crisis as the primary focus, refraining from immediately announcing new policies to avoid tariffs.

In her communication with Trump, Sheinbaum highlighted Mexico’s efforts to address migrant caravans within its borders, aiming to prevent their arrival at the US border. She also emphasized the need for strengthened collaboration on security issues and strategies to combat the consumption of fentanyl.

Trump’s tariff plans extend beyond Mexico, targeting goods from Canada and China as well. He emphasized the tariffs as a response to illegal immigration, crime, and drug trafficking across the US border.

Leaders beyond Mexico also engaged with Trump following his tariff announcements. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reached out to discuss border security and trade, emphasizing the importance of continued communication between the two countries.

In response to Trump’s measures, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu underscored the mutually beneficial nature of China-US economic cooperation and warned against the repercussions of trade wars or tariff conflicts.

Overall, the dialogue between Trump and Sheinbaum reflects ongoing efforts to address migration and security challenges at the US-Mexico border, amidst broader trade tensions among North American countries and China.