President Donald Trump issued a shocking warning to the Mexican government on Monday, accusing it of violating an important treaty and hurting Texas agriculture.
The president pledged to impose large tariffs on Mexico, which he initially did months ago as part of his administration’s economic policy.
“Mexico continues to violate our comprehensive Water Treaty, and this violation is seriously hurting our BEAUTIFUL TEXAS CROPS AND LIVESTOCK. Mexico still owes the U.S over 800,000 acre-feet of water for failing to comply with our Treaty over the past five years. The U.S needs Mexico to release 200,000 acre-feet of water before December 31st, and the rest must come soon after,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“As of now, Mexico is not responding, and it is very unfair to our U.S. Farmers who deserve this much needed water. That is why I have authorized documentation to impose a 5% Tariff on Mexico if this water isn’t released, IMMEDIATELY. The longer Mexico takes to release the water, the more our Farmers are hurt. Mexico has an obligation to FIX THIS NOW. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.
In 1944, the U.S. and Mexican governments signed a water treaty, forcing Mexico to deliver 1.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water to the U.S. annually.
However, Mexico has failed to deliver in past years, leading Texans to suffer shortages and negatively affecting agriculture.
Given this, Trump is considering tariffs on Mexico if the country does not hold up its end of the treaty.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to Trump’s threat on X, claiming that her government has held up its end of the agreement.
The Mexican president sent a letter to U.S. officials last week to discuss the water supply in Texas, according to the Daily Mail.
This isn’t the first time that Trump has threatened Mexico over its failure to deliver water to the U.S.
In April, both heads of state clashed over the same issue. Trump threatened to impose tariffs at the time if no resolution was found.
In response, Sheinbaum said that Mexico would deliver water to Texas, depending on the availability in the Rio Grande River.
“For Texas farmers who are requesting water, there will be an immediate delivery of a certain number of millions of cubic meters that can be provided according to the water availability in the Rio Grande,” she said at the time.
Trump halted water shipments to Mexico in April as a form of retribution for the country’s neglect of the 1944 agreement.
“I will make sure Mexico doesn’t violate our Treaties, and doesn’t hurt our Texas Farmers,” the president said then. “Just last month, I halted water shipments to Tijuana until Mexico complies with the 1944 Water Treaty.”
