The alliance between Sheinbaum and Trump to activate a trade agreement between Mexico and the US: "We will not lose $90 billion"

The alliance between Sheinbaum and Trump to activate a trade agreement between Mexico and the US: "We will not lose $90 billion" Governments recognize progress but maintain differences on tariffs on vehicles, steel, and aluminum and the future of the USMCA - 4 minutes reading Mexico and the United States ensured that trade negotiations are in a stage of progress and that there is a possibility of reaching an agreement in the short term. While Donald Trump seeks to reduce the US trade deficit, Claudia Sheinbaum aims to achieve a reduction in tariffs affecting strategic sectors of the Mexican economy and avoid new tariffs. Claudia Sheinbaum and Donald Trump assure that they are close to a trade agreement The Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and the US president, Donald Trump, agreed that their respective governments are close to reaching a trade understanding, after months of talks marked by differences over tariffs and the terms of bilateral exchange. However, the statements of both leaders also reflect that their economic priorities are not identical and that there is no final agreement yet. In a rally held in Kansas on Monday, Trump stated that his administration is not willing to assume economic losses in its trade relations with other countries. In this context, he mentioned both Mexico and Canada and asserted that negotiations with the Central American government show signs of progress. According to CNN in Spanish, the US president declared: "We are not going to lose $90,000 billion by keeping another country, and we will not lose $150 trillion with Mexico either. In fact, we are very close to closing a major agreement with Mexico that will reduce that amount considerably; perhaps even to zero." What Sheinbaum seeks with the trade alliance between Mexico and the US The Mexican president confirmed that the talks are in a stage of progress, although she warned that her administration is still working to resolve issues that she considers fundamental to protecting the country's economic interests. During her morning conference on Tuesday, Sheinbaum explained that Mexico's priorities are focused on reducing trade barriers that affect certain sectors and preventing the establishment of new tariffs. According to CNN in Spanish, the president stated that the objective of her government is for the United States to reduce "as much as possible" the tariffs on vehicles, steel, and aluminum, as well as to ensure that no new tariffs are applied to Mexican products. "There are still issues we haven't resolved because we want the best for Mexico. But there is a very good attitude from the United States government on this matter," the president stated. Sheinbaum avoided setting a percentage on the level of progress of the negotiations: "What I can say is that there has been a very good attitude in trying to reach an agreement. And there are still issues where we don't agree and we continue to be important at the table, just like on other issues," the president noted. Donald Trump maintains pressure on trade and the USMCA The negotiation between Mexico and the United States is taking place in a context of changes in US trade policy. Since the beginning of his second term, in January 2025, Trump focused part of his economic strategy on questioning the functioning of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and imposing tariffs on products from different economies. The North American trade agreement remains in effect until 2036, although the US administration decided not to renew it for another 16 years under its current conditions. The review of the USMCA is also an important instance for the future of the trade relationship. According to CNN in Spanish, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) opened a public consultation process as part of the preparations for the 2027 review. The period for submitting comments will remain open until January 12th. In April 2026, the Mexican Economy Secretary, Marcelo Ebrard, warned about the risks of a potential US exit from the agreement: "Inflation, disrupting production chains, and creating a lot of fear," he stated, according to CNN in Spanish.