Trump Reveals First Planned Presidential Call: Mexico’s Leader on Border Security

Former President Donald Trump took the stage in Raleigh on Monday, making headlines with a bold statement on his first planned action if re-elected to the White House in 2024.

At a campaign rally in the J.S. Dorton Arena, Trump told his supporters that his first call as president would be to Mexico’s newly inaugurated leader, Claudia Sheinbaum, demanding more rigorous border security from Mexico—or facing severe economic penalties.

Trump announced he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Mexican imports if the neighbouring country does not halt the flow of migrants crossing into the United States.

Addressing the less-than-full arena crowd, Trump said, “I haven’t met her, but I’m going to inform her on day one, or sooner, that if they don’t stop this onslaught of criminals and drugs coming into our country, I’m going to immediately impose a 25 per cent tariff on everything they send into the United States of America.”

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Trump underscored that his proposed tariff would press Mexico into action by securing their southern borders with Guatemala and Belize to prevent migrants from advancing northward. “It’s got a 100 per cent chance of working,” he said confidently, explaining that he could increase tariffs further if initial measures proved insufficient. “Mexico is our number one trading partner. We would make a fortune.”

Trump’s speech touched on his longstanding stance on border security, including his previous initiatives to build a border wall and secure agreements with former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador during his first term.

Reflecting on his relationship with López Obrador, who stepped down from office earlier this year, Trump commented, “I had a great relationship with the President of Mexico. He’s retired now. He was a good man—a socialist, but you can’t have everything, right?”

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The former president also referenced a similar move he made in 2019 when he threatened a 5 per cent tariff on Mexican imports that would gradually rise to 25 per cent unless Mexico increased efforts to stop illegal immigration. That request led to negotiations, resulting in Mexico’s deployment of 28,000 National Guard troops to its southern border and the expansion of the Migrant Protection Protocols. Trump frequently references this 2019 policy as a critical achievement of his presidency, claiming it helped deliver “the greatest border in history.”

Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who represents the left-wing Morena party, has publicly expressed her commitment to maintaining a collaborative relationship with the United States, regardless of the 2024 election results.

The Mexican Foreign Ministry has clarified that Mexico’s migration policy will continue to operate independently of U.S. political changes but that cooperation with the next U.S. administration is a priority for Sheinbaum’s government.

Trump’s statements highlight his ongoing focus on immigration as a central issue for his campaign and underscore his willingness to leverage economic pressure on neighbouring countries to achieve his border security goals. With election day approaching, his tough talk on immigration remains a central selling point among his supporters.