Trump Downplays Mexico with Controversial Remark: «Only Spicy Tamales and Tomatoes»
Posted on 09/05/26 at 10:51
- Trump on Mexico and trade
- Rules out breaking off trade for now
- USMCA faces new tensions
Donald Trump again put the relationship with Mexico under pressure, stating that the United States practically doesn’t need Mexican products to sustain its economy.
The president said on Friday that Mexico wouldn’t have much to offer the US, except for «spicy tamales, tomatoes, a couple of things,» during a statement in the Oval Office.
The remark came as Trump explained his stance on countries that maintain a trade surplus with the United States and defended the possibility of reducing trade relations.
However, the president ruled out breaking off trade with Mexico for now, attributing this stance to his relationship with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Trump Says US Doesn’t Need Mexican Products
«If I stopped trading with them, we wouldn’t lose anything. It would be enough with just one signature,» Trump said in response to journalists’ questions about his trade strategy.
The president claimed that the United States loses $195 billion annually with Mexico, a figure he used to defend his argument about the trade imbalance between the two countries.
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«They don’t have anything that we really need,» Trump said before mentioning tamales and tomatoes and adding that the United States has sufficient resources.
«We have oil, we have everything,» Trump added, although he immediately nuanced his speech by highlighting the political relationship he maintains with the Mexican president.
Trump Praises Sheinbaum Despite Controversial Comments About Mexico
«I don’t want to do that because we get along very well with the president. We like the president, we respect her a lot,» Trump said about the possibility of cutting off trade.
The words show once again the combination of economic pressure and political approach that has marked several recent episodes between the Trump and Sheinbaum administrations.
Mexican President Sheinbaum acknowledged this week that the relationship with Washington has gone through «its difficulties,» but stated that her government will continue to seek agreements in strategic areas.
«In trade matters, we have permanent dialogue with the US government, and we hope to reach an understanding,» Sheinbaum said from the National Palace.
USMCA Faces New Pressures Between the US and Mexico
The statements come at a particularly delicate moment for trade between Mexico and the United States, with conversations about fundamental sectors for both economies.
During the trade round held in July in Mexico City, officials addressed differences related to tariffs on automobiles, steel, and aluminum, as well as the agricultural sector.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Mexican Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard agreed then to continue negotiations in September.
The uncertainty also affects Canada, after Washington and Ottawa intensified their dispute through new tariffs, increasing doubts about the future of North American trade.
Trump: We could do tremendous good for ourselves by just not trading with countries.. We lose with Mexico $195 billion a year. They have nothing that we have to have, I mean. Hot tamales, tomatoes, a couple of things pic.twitter.com/Ej9lwInYTd
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 4, 2026
What Do Trump’s Words Mean?
The controversial statement does not equate to a trade break or mean that Washington has decided to abandon the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
It does raise political pressure again while the three countries face trade differences and discuss the direction of one of the fundamental economic agreements in North America.
Mexico and the United States maintain closely connected production chains, especially in industries that are part of the current trade conversations between the two governments.
For now, Trump combines his economic criticism with praise for Sheinbaum, while the planned negotiations for September could determine how far the new trade tension will go, according to ‘EFE’, ‘El Universal‘ and ‘Ground News‘.