Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Kevin Dietsch
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Mexico, Politics
Britt Jones
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Mexico, Politics
Donald Trump’s tariff war with Mexico has just reached new heights after he presented the nation with two options.
Trump announced his ‘Liberation Day’ plan in front of the world at the White House on April 2 and revealed new tariffs for countries around the world.
It didn’t matter if the country was a friend or foe, everyone was going to be slapped with a tariff regardless.
This included a 25 percent tariff on all foreign-made automobiles and a 10 percent tariff on all countries, except those who have the USMCA free trade agreement between Mexico, Canada and the US.
Advert
The backlash has been swift and significant.
Many have shared their plans to hit the US with their own tariffs, particularly China, who is engaged in a particularly fierce trade war with America right now.
Regarding his initial deal with Mexico in February, the president paused the tariffs and wanted to tackle the 'extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl'.
Mexico's president Claudia Sheinbaum and Trump came to an agreement which could tackle drug trafficking to the US, and agreed to four things.
Sheinbaum wrote online: “1. Mexico will immediately reinforce the northern border with 10,000 members of the National Guard to prevent drug trafficking from Mexico to the United States, particularly fentanyl.
“2. The United States is committed to working to prevent the trafficking of high-powered weapons to Mexico.
“3. Our teams will begin working today on two fronts: security and trade.
“4. They are pausing tariffs for one month from now."
But now Trump might slap the country with even more tariffs and potentially sanctions, as he alleged the nation is 'stealing the water from Texas farmers' which is in violation of a 1944 Water Treaty.
Trump accused the country of stealing over a million acre-feet of water.
As per the treaty, Mexico must send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the US from the Rio Grande every five years.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Mexico OWES Texas 1.3 million acre-feet of water under the 1944 Water Treaty, but Mexico is unfortunately violating their Treaty obligation. This is very unfair, and it is hurting South Texas Farmers very badly.”
While the five-year cycle will end in October, Mexico has allegedly sent less than 30 percent of its fill, as per the International Boundary and Water Commission.
Trump added: “My Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, is standing up for Texas Farmers, and we will keep escalating consequences, including TARIFFS and, maybe even SANCTIONS, until Mexico honors the Treaty, and GIVES TEXAS THE WATER THEY ARE OWED!”
In response, Sheinbaum, tweeted that Mexico has been complying 'to the extent water is available' as the nation battled three years of drought.
Mexico sent a proposal on Wednesday, which includes short-term solutions to the water issue, and confirmed that Sheinbaum has asked her environment, agriculture and foreign ministers to contact officials in the US as she is sure that ‘an agreement will be reached’.