Mexico President Caves, Announces Country Won’t Retaliate Against Trump’s Tariffs

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has officially caved, telling her nation’s press corps that she has no intention of escalating a trade war with the United States if President Donald Trump makes good on his promise to levee new tariffs on imports from her nation.

Addressing the media on Tuesday from the National Palace in Mexico City, Sheinbaum declared that she would not pursue “retaliatory” tariffs if Trump slaps new ones on Mexican-made imports such as vehicles, agriculture, manufacturing products, and other goods.

She promised on Thursday to “announce a comprehensive program, not a tit-for-tat on tariffs.” Instead, her administration will pursue “what’s best for Mexico.”

The Mexican government does not believe in “an eye for an eye” and “a tooth for a tooth” approach “because that always leads to a bad situation,” she added.

The report from Reuters comes after President Trump already imposed 25% tariffs on aluminum and steel from Mexico, causing some auto manufacturers like Honda to announce plans to begin assembling vehicles at existing U.S. plants.

Sheinbaum warned that the longstanding North American free trade agreement is in “doubt” as a result of Trump’s plans.

“If the USMCA says ‘no tariffs’ and there are tariffs, obviously the USMCA is not being complied with,” she said, according to Mexico News Daily.

Much of the dispute centers around whether Mexico is doing an adequate job of addressing human smuggling and fentanyl trafficking along the U.S. southern border. Illegal crossings have hit a low not seen in nearly 60 years, but the number of U.S. citizens killed by the deadly synthetic opioid each year has continued to increase, albeit more slowly, since 2022.

In a nod to the Trump administration’s request to house more migrants being deported, Sheinbaum advocated for “humanitarian rescues” via Mexican detention centers.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem responded, saying the Mexican president “has an opportunity to do some things” such as sharing information on criminal background checks for migrants, suggesting such moves might alleviate the need for new tariffs.

Despite the warning, Sheinbaum finished her press conference on a defiant note, saying Mexico would not “yield” to pressure from its northern neighbor.

“We coordinate, but we do not subordinate ourselves,” she said, adding that she only “responds” to one authority — “the people of Mexico.”

Mexico’s decision to stand down on the trade war is the second piece of good international news in as many days for President Trump. On Tuesday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he has moved to immediately suspend all existing tariffs on U.S. imports, a sizable sum given most of Israel’s international imports come from the U.S.

“In addition to the economic benefits for the economy and citizens of Israel, this move will allow us to further strengthen the alliance and ties between Israel and the United States,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “We will continue to work to remove barriers and tariffs and to reinforce our special relationship with the United States.”

Mexico President Caves, Announces Country Won’t Retaliate Against Trump’s Tariffs

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