Mexican President goes tough, promises cool head in response to Trump

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A day after U.S. President Donald Trump launched his new term with a litany of orders, including steps to restrict immigration, Mexico’s president stressed Tuesday that she will protect her country’s sovereignty and independence while also pursuing conversation with him.

As she attempted to reassure Mexicans that she would vigorously protect their interests, President Claudia Sheinbaum said in her first remarks after Trump’s inauguration that some of his opening pronouncements closely resemble measures he performed in his previous tenure.

“Regarding the decrees that President Donald Trump signed yesterday, I would like to say the following: The people of Mexico can be sure that we will always defend our sovereignty and our independence,” she said, flanked by her foreign and interior ministers.

“It’s always important to have a cool head,” added Sheinbaum.

Notably, the left-leaning leader, who assumed office in October of last year, did not issue her own tariff threats on U.S. imports in response to Trump’s proposal a day earlier to impose a 25% general levy on Mexican goods starting in February.

Sheinbaum’s reaction was restricted to stating that she will answer “step by step.”

Sheinbaum and her economy minister have already implied that if the next U.S. government imposed levies on Mexico’s exports, Mexico would have to retaliate in kind.

The largest economy in the world, the United States, receives over 80% of Mexico’s exports.

While pledging to deport foreign migrants to their home countries, Sheinbaum responded to Trump’s initial efforts to stop illegal migration by saying her administration will address migrant needs in a “humanitarian” manner.

According to her, discussions, including those with Washington, will decide who will pay.

Trump is anticipated to sign other executive orders in response to Monday’s actions designating Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

While Trump signed an executive order declaring illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border a national emergency, Sheinbaum said at her usual morning press conference that she will insist on polite relations and steer clear of confrontations.

She also reaffirmed that the USMCA North American trade agreement is scheduled for review in 2026, not earlier, and that her administration would look to coordinate with its northern neighbour on security and other issues.

The peso, which performed the poorest out of a basket of international reference currencies, briefly decreased its losses during Sheinbaum’s eagerly awaited comments to reporters, but it later recovered to its previous levels.

Sheinbaum’s early response to the beginning of Trump’s new term was characterised by Julio Ruiz, chief economist for Mexico at the international investment firm Citigroup, as an attempt to separate concrete actions from political rhetoric.

“What Sheinbaum is trying to do is try to calm things down,” he said.

“One thing is what’s already signed, and another is these casual comments. You have to distinguish between those two things, and I think what she’s trying to do is give that message to the market and to the population in general.”

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