Mexico can step up and do more when it comes to helping to secure the border, but it hasn't, so it's hoped that President Donald Trump's decision to put on pressure through a 5% tariff on all Mexican goods will get the southern neighbor to engage more, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Friday.
"We can't continue down the path we're on," Sanders told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "We can't continue to operate as a sovereign country with no borders and without enforcement of our law and Mexico needs to enforce their southern border as well. We're hopeful they'll step up and help fix this problem. They can easily do that."
Critics, such as Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, have commented that trade policy and border security are separate issues, but Sanders did not agree.
"The president's number one responsibility is to protect Americans and that's exactly what he is doing," said Sanders. "This is fully supported by the law...frankly if other people were stepping up and doing more the president wouldn't have to continue to look for ways to stop this problem on his own. We would love for Congress to engage and we would love for Mexico to step up."
The administration also wants to work with Mexico's government and has been clear from the start about that, said Sanders.
"We have a good relationship with Mexico," said Sanders. "Let's not forget, a great trading partner. We want to continue that but at the same time because they are a good friend, they should be willing to help us fix this problem."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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