US President Donald Trump has warned that his administration will impose a 5 percent tariff on Mexico if it fails to release water owed to the United States under a long-standing bilateral treaty.
"Mexico continues to violate our comprehensive Water Treaty, and this violation is seriously hurting our beautiful Texas crops and livestock," Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Monday.
He claimed that Mexico still owes the US more than 800,000 acre-feet of water accumulated over the past five years and has not responded to repeated US requests for compliance.
"The US needs Mexico to release 200,000 acre-feet of water before December 31st, and the rest must come soon after," he said.
"As of now, Mexico is not responding, and it is very unfair to our US Farmers who deserve this much-needed water."
"That is why I have authorised documentation to impose a 5% Tariff on Mexico if this water isn’t released, immediately."
Trump did not provide further details on when the tariff would take effect or whether negotiations with the Mexican government were ongoing.
