Hours after President Trump signed an executive order directing federal funds to the building of a U.S.-Mexico border wall, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said his country absolutely will not pay for it.
Trump has said several times that Mexico will reimburse the U.S. for "100 percent" of the wall's cost, but Peña Nieto, who said he "regrets and disapproves" of Trump's rush to build the barrier, disagreed. "I've said it time and time again: Mexico won't pay for any wall," he said. "It comes as our country is talking on new rules on cooperation, trade, investment, security, and migration in the North American region. As president, I assume the complete responsibility to defend the interests of Mexico and Mexicans." Mexico does "offer its friendship to the American people and its willingness to reach accords with their government," he added. "Agreements that will be in favor of both Mexico and the U.S."
Peña Nieto is scheduled to visit Trump in Washington on Jan. 31, and did not mention canceling or putting off the trip.
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.
-
Mexico’s forced disappearancesUnder the Radar 130,000 people missing as 20-year war on drugs leaves ‘the country’s landscape ever more blood-soaked’
-
The Week contest: Racoon’s regretsPuzzles and Quizzes
-
Housing costs: Is deregulation the answer?Feature Washington, D.C.’s NoMa neighborhood is now leading the nation in new apartment construction
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raidSpeed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearingSpeed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own listspeed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battleSpeed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
