Mexican president cancels meeting with Trump after border wall executive order

PHOENIX — Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted Thursday that he would not attend a meeting with President Donald Trump, who signed an executive action to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border this week.

Esta mañana hemos informado a la Casa Blanca que no asistiré a la reunión de trabajo programada para el próximo martes con el @POTUS.

— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) January 26, 2017

Pena Nieto was scheduled to meet with Trump on Jan. 31.

It seems Trump will agree with the cancellation. Prior to Pena Nieto’s tweet, he sent out messages of his own suggesting the meeting should be called off.

The U.S. has a 60 billion dollar trade deficit with Mexico. It has been a one-sided deal from the beginning of NAFTA with massive numbers…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017

of jobs and companies lost. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017

Finance Secretary Jose Antonio Meade told Grupo Formula radio, “I think that, in general, diplomacy is not conducted via Twitter.”

Trump said Wednesday he would start building a U.S.-Mexico border wall and vowed to make the other country pay for it.

The Mexican government opposes the wall and has repeatedly said it won’t pay for it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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