Mexican President Sheinbaum proposes deal with Trump after his early G7 exit

Mexico City, Mexico - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday she had offered her US counterpart, Donald Trump, an agreement on trade, security, and migration after he left the G7 summit in Canada.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum (r.) said Wednesday she had offered her US counterpart, Donald Trump, an agreement on trade, security, and migration.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum (r.) said Wednesday she had offered her US counterpart, Donald Trump, an agreement on trade, security, and migration.  © Collage: Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP & Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP

Sheinbaum had been due to hold talks with Trump at the summit in Kananaskis, but he left the gathering early over the Iran-Israel war, missing talks with Sheinbaum and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a telephone call with Trump on Tuesday, "I raised the question of why we didn't have a general agreement related to security, migration, and also trade...and he agreed," Sheinbaum told her regular morning conference.

Mexico's President Sheinbaum fires back at Kristi Noem over LA protest claims
Mexico Mexico's President Sheinbaum fires back at Kristi Noem over LA protest claims

Security, migration, and trade have been subjects of tension between Mexico and the US since Trump's return to the White House on January 20.

Trump has repeatedly threatened the US' biggest trading partner with steep tariffs, accusing it and Canada of failing to halt the flow of undocumented migrants and drugs onto US territory.

Mexico – which has a free-trade deal with the US and Canada – avoided the reciprocal tariffs that Trump imposed on dozens of countries, but its car, steel, and aluminum exports still face duties.

Sheinbaum made clear that her proposed accord was not related to the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade deal, which is due to be reviewed by July next year.

Sheinbaum pushes back against Trump

She said she wanted any future deal on migration to include Mexican families who have been living in the US for years.

Sheinbaum has repeatedly pushed back against Trump's unfounded claim that Mexico is flooding the US with criminals, stressing the contribution of Mexican workers to the US economy.

She quoted Trump as saying: "It's true, there are many Mexican families who work for the good of our country."

Sheinbaum added that Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard will meet with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday to discuss trade issues.

Cover photo: Collage: Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP & Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP

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