Texas Democratic Party says Mexico will be included in negotiations over President Trump's additional tariffs

The Texas Democrat believes President-elect Trump's threat to impose tariffs on Mexico will bring the country to the table and “help us solve our problems with immigration and fentanyl.”

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who represents Texas' 28th Congressional District in South Texas, which borders Mexico, made the comments Tuesday in an interview with NewsNation.

“If it means imposing a 25% tariff to potentially fix the border, would you support that?” Cuellar asked.

“Well, let me say this: Laredo is the largest port. It handles 40 percent of all trade between the United States and Mexico. We know this is a way to negotiate and gain influence. “I know Mexico will come to the table to negotiate,'' he replied.

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“But no one wants to impose a 25% tariff on them. The Mexicans are also threatening to do the same, so we don't want to be involved in that,” Cuellar added. “But I think this will definitely bring Mexico to the table and help us resolve issues around immigration and fentanyl.”

President Trump has vowed to impose tariffs on Mexico when he returns to the White House in January.

“As we all know, thousands of people are pouring into Mexico and Canada, bringing with them a level of crime and drugs that we've never seen before,” President Trump told Truth Social on Monday. I wrote it. “Currently, the caravan coming from Mexico is made up of several thousand people and it appears that nothing will stop them in their quest to cross the now open border.”

“On January 20th, in one of my first of many executive orders, I will impose on Mexico and Canada a 25% tariff on all products imported into the United States and their ridiculous border opening. This tariff will remain in effect until drugs, especially fentanyl, and all illegal aliens are stopped from invading our country! ” Trump continued.

“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to simply resolve this long-simmering problem,” he declared. “We hereby demand that they use this power. Until they do, it is time for them to pay a very dear price!”

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a media briefing at the National Palace in Mexico City on October 2. (AP/Fernando Llano)

Officials told Reuters that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had “good discussions” with President Trump on trade and border security, following the Truth Social post.

President Trump also said on Monday that he had “repeatedly had discussions with China about the large amounts of drugs, especially fentanyl, being sent to the United States, to no avail.”

He added: “We will impose an additional 10% tariff on China, above and beyond any additional tariffs, on all Chinese products imported into the United States until the restrictions are suspended.”

In response, the Communist Party-run China Daily newspaper published an editorial on Tuesday saying, “The excuses the president-elect has given to justify his threat to impose additional tariffs on imports from China are outrageous. There is no such thing,” Reuters reported.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas, right) arrives to attend the House Democratic Party meeting at the Capitol on Nov. 19. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

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The editorial added, “There are no winners in a tariff war. If the United States continues to use tariffs as a weapon to politicize economic and trade issues, no party will come out unscathed.”