Donald Trump is poised to smash Mexico with tariffs

From The Economist

Policy commitments made by President-elect Donald Trump often lack precision. Not so on November 4th, the final day of campaigning, at a rally in North Carolina. Mr Trump kicked it off by announcing that one of his first calls as president would be to Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum. “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 am going to immediately impose a 25% tariff on everything they send into the United States of America.” Mr Trump’s policy could not have been much clearer. “You’re the first ones I’ve told it to,” he told the cheering crowd.

There is little to suggest that his threat this time is not serious. Ending illegal migration across the United States’ southern border is one of the chief promises that led to Mr Trump’s historic re-election. In his victory speech on November 6th he declared that “nothing will stop me from keeping my word”. Along with the Republicans’ likely control of Congress, Mr Trump’s victory is a “nightmare scenario” for Mexico, laments Jorge Castañeda, a former foreign minister.