Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) hammered President Donald Trump on Saturday over his latest threats to slap a 5 percent tariff on imports from Mexico, repeating her claim that the American president was negotiating via "threats and temper tantrums". RNA - In a statement, Pelosi denounced Trump's relationship with Mexico, accusing him of taking actions that "undermined America's preeminent leadership role in the world" by threatening tariffs on a country she described as "our close friend and neighbor to the South", The Hill reported.
"The Trump Administration must also do much more to cooperate in a meaningful way with Mexico in cracking down on smuggling networks. [Its] failure to do so thus far is unconscionable and irresponsible. Threats and temper tantrums are no way to negotiate foreign policy," she added.
Trump also took aim at Pelosi on Saturday morning on Twitter, calling her "nervous".
"Nervous Nancy Pelosi & the Democrat House are getting nothing done. Perhaps they could lead the way with the USMCA, the spectacular & very popular new Trade Deal that replaces NAFTA, the worst Trade Deal in the history of the U.S.A. Great for our Farmers, Manufacturers & Unions!" Trump tweeted.
The comments come amid an intensifying feud between Pelosi and Trump. The US president lashed out at the speaker after reports surfaced that she told other Democrats she wants to see him "in prison".
“Nervous Nancy Pelosi is a disgrace to herself and her family for having made such a disgusting statement, especially since I was with foreign leaders overseas. There is no evidence for such a thing to have been said,” Trump tweeted on Friday.
Saturday's back-and-forth came after Trump had threatened to levy tariffs against Mexico beginning Monday if the government did not ramp up its efforts to curtail illegal border crossings into the US. However, Trump announced late Friday that a deal had been reached to avoid the tariffs.
As part of the deal, Mexico will beef up its national guard presence at its Southern border to stem the flow of Central American migrants northward, boost intelligence sharing with the US and allow the US to deport migrants seeking asylum to Mexico to await adjudication. Mexico also announced it would take stronger action against human and drug trafficking rings.
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