Donald Trump wants a 20% tax on all imports from Mexico to pay for the unnecessary wall on the U.S. border.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the comprehensive tax reform package Trump and Republicans are looking to put together will include taxing imports from other countries, like Mexico.
“By doing it that we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That's really going to provide the funding,” Spicer said, referring to a 20% tax. According to the Office of the US Trade Representative, Mexico's exports to the US in 2015 was valued at $316.4 billion. The trade deficit is estimated to be $50 billion.
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The announcement comes on the same day Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto canceled a scheduled meeting with Trump. Peña Nieto canceled the meeting after Trump announced that Mexico was paying for the wall.
Trump later claimed that the two leaders agreed to cancel the meeting.
Tweeted Nieto:
“This morning we informed the White House we would not be attending a meeting scheduled for next Tuesday with the President of the United States. Mexico reiterates its willingness to work with the United States to reach agreements on behalf of both nations.”
Esta mañana hemos informado a la Casa Blanca que no asistiré a la reunión de trabajo programada para el próximo martes con el @POTUS.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) January 26, 2017
México reitera su voluntad de trabajar con los Estados Unidos para lograr acuerdos en favor de ambas naciones.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) January 26, 2017
Nieto had said yesterday that Mexicans will not pay for the wall but he might still make the trip.
Anderson Cooper spoke last night with former Mexican President Vicente Fox, who again repeated his assertions that Mexicans “will not pay for that f**king wall.”
He added: “Trump is a different thing. He doesn't seem to be an American. He is a false prophet who is taking that nation into the desert.”
