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Trump backs off threat to close southern border immediately, says he’ll give Mexico one-year warning on drugs, migrants

President Donald Trump backed down from his threat on Thursday to close the southern border immediately, telling reporters at the White House that he is giving Mexico a one-year warning before taking action.

by Felicia Sonmez, The Washington Post

President Donald Trump declares a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border while speaking about border security in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 15, 2019.
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border in February. Credit: REUTERS/Carlos Barria

President Donald Trump backed down from his threat on Thursday to close the southern border immediately, telling reporters at the White House that he is giving Mexico a one-year warning before taking action.

Trump said earlier this week that he would close the border, or at least large sections of it, if Mexico does not halt illegal immigration into the United States.

But in Thursday’s exchange with reporters, Trump shifted gears, saying that if Mexico does not make progress on stemming the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States within the next year, he will impose tariffs on cars and close the border.

“We’re going to give them a one-year warning, and if the drugs don’t stop or largely stop, we’re going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, particularly cars. ... And if that doesn’t stop the drugs, we close the border,” Trump said.

Information about the authors

Felicia Sonmez

THE WASHINGTON POST

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