President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was granting a month-long reprieve on unilaterally ordering tax increases on some goods imported from Mexico after a telephone call with Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum earlier in the day.
Trump said he was granting an exemption on any goods imported into the U.S. that are compliant with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement that he negotiated during his first term.
“After speaking with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, I have agreed that Mexico will not be required to pay Tariffs on anything that falls under the USMCA Agreement. This Agreement is until April 2nd,” he said in a statement posted to his Truth Social platform.
He added that the temporary reprieve was “an accommodation” made “out of respect” for Sheinbaum, who he credited for “working hard” with him to combat illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking across the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl. Thank you to President Sheinbaum for your hard work and cooperation,” he said.
Trump has not announced any similar exemption for Canadian goods that are compliant with the USMCA, but in a separate Truth Social post he claimed — without evidence — that outgoing Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, who earlier this year announced his intention to stand down as soon as his Liberal Party elects a new leader, was using the trade war the American president started without provocation as a way to remain in office.
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