"It is very unfair to our U.S. Farmers": Trump threatened Mexico with an additional 5% tariff for non-compliance with a water treaty

President Donald Trump threatened Monday to impose an additional 5% tariff on all imports from Mexico if the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum does not release the water that, according to the Republican leader, should be allowed to flow under a treaty. With such threat, Trump once again intensifies his tariff dispute with one of the country's most important trading partners, with which he has experienced several back-and-forth not only in this second presidency, but also in the first, when the Mexican president was Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

“I have authorized documentation to impose a 5% Tariff on Mexico if this water isn’t released, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump posted Monday on social media. “The longer Mexico takes to release the water, the more our Farmers are hurt. Mexico has an obligation to FIX THIS NOW. The U.S needs Mexico to release 200,000 acre-feet of water before December 31st, and the rest must come soon after,” he added

Tensions over water supply

The issue revolves around tensions over water supplies for farmers in South Texas as the Trump administration seeks to ratchet up pressure on Mexican authorities over their obligations under a 1944 treaty. The State Department said in November that officials from both countries had held meetings to discuss steps the Mexican government could take to "reduce shortfalls in water deliveries and ensure compliance."

Trump also commented that the dispute was hurting Texas communities along the U.S.-Mexico border, just hours after his administration announced $12 billion in aid for support farmers caught in the crossfire of the president's tariff regime. "As of now, Mexico is not responding, and it is very unfair to our U.S. Farmers who deserve this much needed water," Trump said in his release.