President Trump said he spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday to extend the current tariff deal between the U.S. and Mexico for 90 more days.
He called the call “very successful in that, more and more, we are getting to know and understand each other.”
“The complexities of a Deal with Mexico are somewhat different than other Nations because of both the problems, and assets, of the Border,” he posted on social media.
The president said Mexico will continue to pay a 25% tariff to address the alleged crossing of fentanyl over the border. Mexico also faces a 25% tariff on auto imports and 50% tariff on steel, aluminum and copper, though some products are exempt from tariffs under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement.
Mr. Trump recently threatened to raise the tariff on Mexican imports to 30% starting Aug. 1, but the 90-day pause means Mexico gets a reprieve from that increase for three months.
“Mexico has agreed to immediately terminate its Non Tariff Trade Barriers, of which there are many,” he wrote. “We will be talking to Mexico over the next 90 days with the goal of signing a Trade Deal somewhere within the 90 Day period of time, or longer.”
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He added, “There will be continued cooperation on the Border as it related to all aspects of Security, including Drugs, Drug Distribution, and Illegal Immigration into the United States.”
Ms. Sheinbaum posted on X that it was a good call.
“We avoided the tariff increase announced for tomorrow and secured 90 days to build a long-term agreement through dialogue,” she said.
In his letter sent to Mexico earlier this month, he threatened the 30%, saying Mexico hasn’t done enough to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
“Mexico still has not stopped the Cartels who are trying to turn all of North America into a Narco-Trafficking Playground,” he wrote.
Mexican officials said they felt it was “unfair treatment.”
A number of countries are facing increased tariffs that go into effect Friday if trade deals aren’t struck with the Trump administration.
Countries that have agreements with the U.S. include Britain, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. A huge deal was also recently locked in with the European Union.
Talks with China, the world’s second-largest economy, are in the works but moving on a timeline separate from the Friday tariff deadline.
Countries that have yet to make a deal include Australia, Canada, India and Taiwan.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that among America’s 18 major trading partners, two-thirds have made a deal.
Critics of Mr. Trump’s tariff plans worried that the tariffs would hurt the economy and boost inflation, but neither has occurred.
The International Monetary Fund upgraded the global economic outlook this week to forecast 3% global growth in 2025, down from 3.3% in 2024, but better than its 2.8% forecast in April.
The Treasury has collected nearly $125 billion in tariff payments this year, or more than double the amount this time last year, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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