Sheinbaum Refutes Trump’s Claim: ‘Mexico’s Position is Not to Close Borders’

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has publicly pushed back against President-elect Donald Trump’s assertion that Mexico agreed to immediately close its border with the United States.

The claim came after a phone conversation between the two leaders on Wednesday.

“In our conversation with President Trump, I explained to him the comprehensive strategy that Mexico has followed to address the migration phenomenon, respecting human rights,” Sheinbaum wrote in a post on the platform X.

“Thanks to this, migrants and caravans are assisted before they arrive at the border. We reiterate that Mexico’s position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and peoples,” she added.

Her comments came in direct response to Trump’s earlier post on Truth Social, where he claimed, “Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately. THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD STOPPING THE ILLEGAL INVASION OF THE USA. Thank you!!!”

Despite their differing accounts, Trump described the conversation as “productive.” He wrote, “Just had a wonderful conversation with the new President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.

She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border.” Trump also noted that the discussion included strategies to curb the flow of drugs into the U.S. and reduce domestic drug consumption. “It was a very productive conversation!” he added.

Sheinbaum echoed the sentiment about the tone of the conversation in her own post on X, calling it an “excellent conversation.”

However, her remarks clarified that Mexico remains committed to addressing migration with a focus on human rights and regional cooperation, rather than border closures.

The phone call occurred amid growing tensions over Trump’s recently announced plans to impose new tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China. If implemented, the plan would enact 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports.

Trump has justified the tariffs as a means to pressure these countries into increasing their efforts on border security and combatting fentanyl exports to the U.S.

“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long-simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!” Trump declared when announcing the tariffs.

In response, Sheinbaum warned of potential retaliatory measures. “One tariff would be followed by another in response, and so on until we put at risk common businesses,” she said.

The exchange between the two leaders underscores the complex relationship between Mexico and the United States as they navigate sensitive issues like migration, trade, and border security.

While Trump’s proposed measures aim to address these challenges, Sheinbaum’s comments highlight Mexico’s commitment to cooperation and diplomacy over unilateral actions.