Cuellar: Trump's Tariff Threat 'Will Definitely Get Mexico to the Table So We Can Solve the Problem'

On Tuesday’s broadcast of NewsNation’s “The Hill,” Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) stated that while Mexico has made a strong effort, it can do “much, much, much more stopping fentanyl and stopping people from coming” into the U.S. and that President-Elect Donald Trump’s tariff threat is designed for leverage because Mexico doesn’t want a 25% tariff slapped on them by the U.S. and the U.S. doesn’t want to see Mexico retaliate by slapping their own 25% tariff on us and “this will definitely get Mexico to the table so we can solve the problem about immigration and fentanyl.”

Cuellar said, “Mexico has done a lot, but they can do much, much, much more stopping fentanyl and stopping people from coming in.”

He added, “Laredo’s the largest port. We handle 40% of all the trade between the U.S. and Mexico. I know this is a way to negotiate, get some leverage. I know that Mexico will come to the table. Nobody wants a 25% tariff on them and the Mexicans are threatening to do the same thing and we don’t want to get into that. But I think this will definitely get Mexico to the table so we can solve the problem about immigration and fentanyl.”

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