(Bloomberg) -- Mexico will start consultations with the US government to explain why it considers the steel and aluminum tariffs ordered by President Donald Trump as “not justified,” said Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard.
First, Mexico imports more steel and aluminum from the US than it exports to that country, Ebrard argued, and also the Latin American country is the main destination for US exports of steel products, “representing 52% of its global exports at the end of 2024,” he added.
Some steel products even cross the US-Mexico border as much as eight times, so tariffs would be detrimental to both economies, the minister said during a press conference with President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday.
Ebrard plans to travel to the US to meet US Trade Representative nominee Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Commerce nominee Howard Lutnick once they win confirmation. “We will start the conversation with all the necessary elements,” Ebrard said. “We are confident that our arguments will resonate.”
Trump on Monday announced he would impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, including on Mexico and Canada, to become effective March 12. He also threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada last week, but delayed them for a month after both countries pledged to strengthen their borders to prevent the crossing of undocumented migrants and fentanyl into the US.
--With assistance from Carolina Millan.
©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
