The Latest: Trump expects tariffs on Mexico to go in effect
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and tariffs on Mexico (all times local):
8:55 p.m.
Republican senators are declaring deep opposition to President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs on all goods coming into the U.S. from Mexico. But it’s unclear they have the votes to stop him, and Trump says they’d be “foolish” to try.
All sides, including officials from Mexico meeting with Trump negotiators in Washington this week, remain hopeful that high-level talks will ease the president away from his threat. But with the tariffs set to start next Monday, Republicans in Congress are warning the White House they are ready to stand up to Trump.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says, “There is not much support in my conference for tariffs, that’s for sure.”
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3 p.m.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he hopes President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs on Mexico are avoided, saying Republicans are “not fans of tariffs.”
The Kentucky Republican told reporters he’s hopeful that U.S. talks with a Mexican delegation will be “fruitful” and that the tariffs “will not kick in.” He added that “there’s not much support in my conference for tariffs, that’s for sure.”
Trump is threatening to impose a 5% tariff on Mexican imports next week unless the country does more to stem illegal migration. Some Republicans have talked of trying to block the tariffs, a move Trump warned would be “foolish.”
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he believes Trump will ultimately back down on the tariffs “when he sees what a dumb move he has made.”
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9:45 a.m.
President Donald Trump says he expects to begin hitting Mexico with tariffs next week in a dispute over illegal immigration.
Trump says “millions” of migrants entering the U.S. through Mexico is “unacceptable” and that Mexico must stop it. He says he thinks Mexico will take steps to halt the migrant flow but, “if they won’t, we’re going to put tariffs on.”
The president last week threatened to impose a monthly 5% tariff on Mexican imports starting Monday, rising to a total of 25% by October.
Mexican officials are in Washington to meet with their Trump administration counterparts and predicted Tuesday that an agreement could be reached during talks scheduled for Wednesday to avoid the tariffs.
Trump commented at a news conference in London with outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May.
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8:55 a.m.
Mexico says it thinks there’s likely to be an agreement Wednesday with the United States that will avoid a 5% tariff on Mexican goods announced last week by President Donald Trump.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard told reporters Tuesday that despite his optimism, his team also will be ready for a non-agreement scenario.
Ebrard arrived in Washington last weekend to meet Wednesday with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pahm-PAY’-oh). Mexico calls the potential tariff hurtful to both economies and useless to slow down the flow of Central Americans migrating north.
The diplomatic counteroffensive launched by Mexico this week includes a Tuesday meeting of trade negotiator Jesus Seade with U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer.
Trump says he’ll impose the tariff beginning June 10 to force Mexico to keep mostly Central American migrants from crossing into the U.S.
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