Mexican Secretary of the Economy Marcelo Ebrard. Photo: Gobierno de México

By KELIN DILLON

Mexican Secretary of the Economy Marcelo Ebrard warned on Monday, Nov. 12, that if newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on his campaign promise to impose 25 percent tariffs on all Mexican goods entering the United States, Mexico will not hesitate to follow suit by levying its own tariffs on U.S. imports in retaliation.

“If you apply a 25% tariff to me, I have to react with tariffs, and I am your main importer along with Canada, so if you impose tariffs, we will also impose tariffs,” Ebrard said in an interview on Radio Fórmula. “And what does that lead to? Well, a huge cost to the American economy. Moreover, Donald Trump’s main supporters would disagree with an economic impact of that magnitude.” 

“The imports from the United States to Mexico are so large that it would affect not only the automotive industry but many other industries,” he continued.

During his presidential campaign, Trump also claimed he would place a 100 percent tariff on all Chinese vehicles manufactured in Mexico – even though no Chinese cars are currently manufactured on Mexican soil.

“There are no Chinese brand plants in Mexico,” confirmed Ebard.

The Secretary of the Economy said that despite Trump’s threats, Mexico has the most negotiating power during 2026’s renegotiations of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), saying that “structurally we have conditions to play in favor of Mexico.”