Claudia Sheinbaum and Donald Trump said Mexico and the United States are close to reaching a trade deal, although negotiations remain open. Mexico’s main goal is to reduce tariffs affecting vehicles, steel and aluminum, as well as avoid new charges: the announced progress does not yet mean those tariffs have changed.
The Mexican president confirmed the progress during her Tuesday morning press conference on 20 October. She explained that differences remain on some issues and that her government is continuing to negotiate to secure better terms for the country. She also acknowledged that the U.S. administration is willing to seek an understanding.
Trump had floated the possibility of a deal during a rally in Kansas. His proposal focused on reducing the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico. That is a goal expressed by the president, not an achieved result or a final condition announced by both governments.
What Mexico is seeking in the negotiations
Sheinbaum’s stated priority has two parts: reduce the existing tariffs on the three sectors as much as possible and prevent any others from being added. The president explained that the United States is putting forward proposals and Mexico is requesting adjustments; those outstanding issues prevent the understanding from being considered finalized.
For now, the presidents agree in their assessment of the progress of the talks. Their publicly stated goals have different emphases: Washington seeks to change the balance of bilateral trade, while Mexico is focusing on tariff terms for its exports.
For the industries involved, the practical difference is important: saying a deal is close is not the same as a reduction already taking effect. Sheinbaum clarified that there is still no final agreement and declined to put a percentage on the negotiation’s progress. Talks are continuing to resolve the remaining disagreements.
Image: Donald Trump in a file photo from 31 August 2016. Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
