Trump: Mexico Tariffs Still Due to Kick In on Monday

President Trump says new tariffs on all imports from Mexico will start Monday unless a lot more progress is made in talks with Mexican officials. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks with Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard at the White House Wednesday, but the 90-minute meeting ended without an agreement, the BBC reports. "Immigration discussions at the White House with representatives of Mexico have ended for the day," Trump tweeted from Ireland. "Progress is being made, but not nearly enough! Border arrests for May are at 133,000 because of Mexico & the Democrats in Congress refusing to budge on immigration reform." On Tuesday, Trump insisted that he was not "bluffing" about the tariffs.

Trump said talks will resume Thursday "with the understanding that, if no agreement is reached, Tariffs at the 5% level will begin on Monday, with monthly increases as per schedule." He added: "The higher the Tariffs go, the higher the number of companies that will move back to the USA!" Ebrard said the talks had focused on immigration, not tariffs, and he was "optimistic" about progress being made, the AP reports. The starting point, he said, is that "both sides recognize the current situation cannot continue." The plan to impose tariffs unless migrant numbers fall drastically has met opposition from business leaders and Republican senators. Sources tell the Washington Post that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has asked the White House to delay the tariffs until after Trump returns to the US and lawmakers can speak to him in person. (One GOP senator calls the plan a "misuse of authority.")