On Thursday, Joe Biden delivered a pointed Thanksgiving message to President-elect Donald Trump, expressing his hope that Trump would not “mess up” the long-standing relationships between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Biden’s remarks followed Trump’s pledge to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on goods imported into the U.S. from neighboring countries to the north and south.
During a Thanksgiving Day visit to a fire station in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Biden stated: “I hope he reconsiders it, as I believe it would be a counterproductive move. The last thing we need to do is jeopardize those relationships.”
In a Truth Social post on Monday, Trump announced: “This Tariff will stay in place until Drugs, such as Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens cease this Invasion of our Country!”
He has since moderated his stance slightly, stating that, following a sharp response from the Mexican President, the situation is now friendly.
On Wednesday, Trump mentioned having had a “great conversation” with Claudia Sheinbaum, claiming: “She has consented to halt Migration through Mexico into the United States, effectively sealing our Southern Border.”
Sheinbaum clarified that this portrayal was inaccurate, asserting that Mexico’s stance is “not to close borders.”
“In our discussion with President Trump, I elaborated on the comprehensive approach that Mexico has adopted to tackle the migration issue, while upholding human rights,” she explained on X in Spanish. “We emphasize that Mexico’s position is not to close borders, but rather to create connections between government and people.”
