Meanwhile, Mexico: Tensions still simmer south of the border

Published September 12, 2026 7:15am ET | Updated September 12, 2026 7:15am ET



During Donald Trump’s first run for the presidency, China, the economic behemoth that was gutting America’s manufacturing base and flexing its muscles in East Asia, was his favorite punching bag. Yet as Trump was seeking to reclaim the presidency after four years in the political wilderness, his new foreign target was much closer to home: Mexico.

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