Trump Delays Tariff Hike on Mexico After Call With President Sheinbaum

The United States has announced it will hold off on raising tariffs on Mexican imports, following a last-minute call between US President Donald Trump and his Mexican counterpart, Claudia Sheinbaum.

Trump revealed the decision on Thursday via his Truth Social platform, describing the conversation as a “very successful” step toward a potential long-term trade deal.

“The complexities of a Deal with Mexico are somewhat different than other Nations because of both the problems, and assets, of the Border,” Trump wrote, adding that the US would keep tariffs at current levels for 90 days while talks continue.

Mexico was just one day away from facing a 30% tariff hike, announced by Trump earlier this month as part of a broader tariff blitz targeting multiple countries. While the threat has been temporarily lifted, tariffs on Mexican exports remain steep: 25% on cars, 50% on steel, aluminium and copper products, and an additional 25% “fentanyl tariff” on goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA).

Trump previously blamed Mexico for failing to stop cartels and drug trafficking across the border, calling fentanyl imports “a plague on our country.”

“Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT what Mexico has done is not enough,” Trump wrote in his earlier tariff threat. “I cannot let this continue.”

Sheinbaum confirmed the outcome of their call in a brief statement, saying, “We avoided the tariff increase announced for tomorrow and secured 90 days to build a long-term agreement through dialogue.”

Trump, meanwhile, celebrated the move as another example of his “tariff diplomacy,” insisting that import taxes are a tool to make the US wealthier while fixing trade imbalances.

“Tariffs are going to make us rich as hell,” he said earlier this year, calling the word “one of the most beautiful” in the dictionary.

The decision is the latest in a string of eleventh-hour trade announcements by Trump, following deals with South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia, all designed to reduce — but not fully avoid — previously threatened tariffs.

While Trump claims tariffs will boost domestic manufacturing, economists warn that his unpredictable approach risks higher consumer prices and trade instability.

Talks between the US and Mexico are set to continue in the coming weeks, with Trump saying he aims to sign a final deal within the 90-day window — or possibly beyond.

With input from Al Jazeera