Donald Trump: 'I didn't choke' on Mexico wall deal
Donald Trump is denying Hillary Clinton's assertion that he bungled his visit last week with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.
During a press conference after their meeting, Trump said he did discuss with Peña Nieto his proposed wall between the U.S. and Mexico, which he has said he would make Mexico pay for, but they did not talk about payment. Peña Nieto said the subject was broached, and he made it "clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall." In an interview Monday with David Muir of ABC News, Clinton called the meeting a "diplomatic incident," and said Trump "came out saying one thing and the Mexican president contradicted him almost immediately. He didn't raise it, so he did choke. He didn't know how to even communicate effectively with a head of state. And I think that's a pretty clear outcome from that trip."
In his own interview with Muir, Trump said no blunders took place during his brief trip. "I didn't choke," he said. "She chokes. … I've been given A pluses for the job I did in Mexico. The fact is, Mexico will pay for that wall. It was discussed that it wouldn't be discussed but they know my stance and I know their stance."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Antibiotic resistance: the hidden danger on Ukraine’s frontlinesUnder The Radar Threat is spreading beyond war zones to the ‘doorstep’ of western Europe
-
‘Capitalism: A Global History’ by Sven Beckert and ‘American Canto’ by Olivia NuzziFeature A consummate history of capitalism and a memoir from the journalist who fell in love with RFK Jr.
-
Who will the new limits on student loans affect?The Explainer The Trump administration is imposing new limits for federal student loans starting on July 1, 2026
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
-
Kushner drops Trump hotel project in SerbiaSpeed Read Affinity Partners pulled out of a deal to finance a Trump-branded development in Belgrade
-
Senate votes down ACA subsidies, GOP alternativeSpeed Read The Senate rejected the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, guaranteeing a steep rise in health care costs for millions of Americans
-
Abrego García freed from jail on judge’s orderSpeed Read The wrongfully deported man has been released from an ICE detention center
-
Indiana Senate rejects Trump’s gerrymander pushSpeed Read The proposed gerrymander would have likely flipped the state’s two Democratic-held US House seats
-
Democrat files to impeach RFK Jr.Speed Read Rep. Haley Stevens filed articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
-
$1M ‘Trump Gold Card’ goes live amid travel rule furorSpeed Read The new gold card visa offers an expedited path to citizenship in exchange for $1 million
