'I'll inform her...', Donald Trump teases his first presidential call would be to..
Trump threatened a 25% tariff on Mexico if it fails to address immigration issues, emphasizing his hardline stance and past relations with Mexican leaders.
Donald Trump was holding a rally at the J.S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he confidently declared who he would call first once he reclaims the White House after the November 5 elections. Amid a crowd that barely filled a fraction of the 7,500 seats, Trump didn’t hold back on his trademark tough talk on Immigration, threatening to slap a hefty 25% tariff on Mexico if it doesn’t do its part to stop migrants at the border. So now, it won’t be hard to guess what exactly is going on inside the MAGA mind.
Trump threatens Mexico with 100% tariff
Donald Trump seemed confident as he hinted at a return to the White House, continuing to echo his claims about the rigged 2020 elections. At a rally in one of the key swing states, he ramped up the energy in the lead-up to November 5, making headlines by announcing that newly inaugurated Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum would be his first call if he wins.
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“I haven't met her,” Trump said. “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," he added, according to the Independent. Threatening to impose the tariff on the country he claims to be the US’ top trading partner he added, “I'm going to immediately impose a 25 percent tariff on everything they send into the United States of America.”
You’re the first ones I’ve told that to,” he said to the crowd. “Congratulations, North Carolina. And it’s only got a 100% chance of working because if it doesn’t work, I’ll make it a 50% tariff. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll make it 75%.” He later added that he would even impose a 100% tariff if necessary and was met with loud cheers.
Claudia Sheinbaum, an environmental scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, made history in June by being elected as Mexico's first female president. She won decisively, building on the legacy of her mentor, outgoing leader Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose strong support among the poor played a crucial role in her historical win.
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Trump confidently declared that his hardline approach to immigration would persuade Mexico to deploy soldiers to its southern border, claiming it would effectively stop the flow of people moving to north. “I had a great relationship with the President of Mexico (López Obrador). He's retired now. He was a good man—a socialist, but you can't have everything, right?" He said reflecting on his relationship with the former President.
When Trump vowed to call China first from the Oval office
Trump has long focused on Mexico’s involvement in the border crisis, but back in September, the Republican nominee announced at a rally in Pennsylvania that he would reach out to Chinese President Xi Jinping first to reinforce a trade deal from his time as the US president.
"My first call, I'm going to call up President Xi. I'm going to say, 'You have to honor the deal you made. We made a deal,” Trump said during a campaign in Smithton. “You'd buy $50 billion worth of American farm product.' And I guarantee you he will buy it. 100% he will buy it," he added.
In 2020, Trump wrapped up a trade deal with China that tackled problems like intellectual property theft and currency manipulation. This deal said China would spend an extra $200 billion on American stuff over the next two years, with $50 billion of that being farm products. In return, the U.S. promised to cut down on taxes on some Chinese goods.