Mexican President Denies Trump’s Claim on Border Closure Agreement

In a recent exchange, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly denied agreeing to close the border with the United States, countering claims made by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Trump had asserted on Truth Social that during a recent conversation, Sheinbaum agreed to “stop migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border.”

At her regular morning news conference, Sheinbaum refuted these claims, stating, “Everyone has their own way of communicating, but I can assure you, I give you the certainty that we would never — and we would be incapable of it — propose that we would close the border. It has never been our approach and of course we don’t agree with that.”

Sheinbaum clarified that during their conversation, she presented Mexico’s existing immigration strategies aimed at addressing migration while respecting human rights. “In our conversation with President Trump, I explained to him the comprehensive strategy that Mexico has followed to address the migration phenomenon, respecting human rights,” she stated. “We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples.”

This exchange comes amid Trump’s plan to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China, which he claims is necessary to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking. “On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” Trump posted earlier in the week.

Sheinbaum responded with a strong letter, indicating that Mexico could retaliate with counter-tariffs if such measures were implemented. However, she did not propose any new policies during the call, instead emphasizing her administration's ongoing efforts to address migration.

Trump’s claims of a “productive conversation” with Sheinbaum reflect a pattern from his first term, where his rhetoric often diverged from reality. His past promises, such as building a border wall funded by Mexico, fell short of his goals, with only 458 miles of border barriers completed, much of which replaced outdated structures.

The stakes remain high as Trump prepares to reinstate policies like “Remain in Mexico,” requiring migrants to stay in Mexico during their U.S. immigration proceedings. Meanwhile, Sheinbaum pointed to Mexico’s success in reducing U.S. border crossings by 75% over the past year through collaboration with the Biden administration.

President Joe Biden criticized Trump’s proposed tariffs, calling them “counterproductive.” “The last thing we need to do is begin to screw up both relationships,” Biden said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong ties with neighboring allies.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also engaged with Trump, focusing on trade and border security. A spokesperson described their conversation as “productive,” with plans for continued dialogue.

China, another target of Trump’s tariff threats, dismissed his claims about fentanyl trafficking as baseless. “The idea of China knowingly allowing fentanyl precursors to flow into the United States runs completely counter to facts and reality,” said Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu.

The evolving dynamics between Trump and Sheinbaum will be closely watched, as their early exchanges set the tone for future U.S.-Mexico relations under the incoming administration.