Water dispute: Trump threatens to impose tariffs on Mexico

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on neighboring Mexico, accusing it of violating a water-sharing agreement. He warned that the US must provide the water it owes under a long-standing bilateral water-sharing agreement. Failure to do so will result in a 5 percent tariff on Mexico. At the same time, the US Republican president has also demanded the release of the water owed on an urgent basis, alleging damage to Texas' agricultural sector.

According to TRT World, Trump made these comments in a post on his social media platform 'Truth Social' on Monday. “Mexico is violating our important water agreement, and it is seriously harming Texas crops and livestock,” he said.

He claimed that Mexico has not paid the United States more than 800,000 acre-feet of water in the past five years, and that the United States has repeatedly requested this, but has not responded. Trump also said, “At least 200,000 acre-feet of water must be released to the United States by December 31, and the rest must be given later.”

He complained, “Mexico is still not responding. And this is unfair to American farmers, because they urgently need this water.” Trump said that he had authorized a 5 percent tariff on Mexico if it did not immediately provide the required water.

However, he did not provide any details on when the tariff would take effect or whether negotiations with Mexico were underway at any stage.