Donald Trump unleashes new TRADE WAR as he rages at countries 'TAKING OUR MONEY'
DONALD TRUMP took to Twitter to blast Mexico for “taking the US’ money”, claiming that his desire to close off the border with the South American country would be a ‘profit making operation” as the US president sets his sights on a fresh trade war.
Trump announces congress 'shut down' over Mexico border wall
Throughout 2018, Mr Trump has been vying for US unilateral trade, imposing crippling sanctions on countries such as China and Iran and in turn affecting global oil and product exports. Mr Trump also imposed sanctions on the EU, which affected the sale of American-made products such as jeans, kidney beans and Harley-Davidson motorcycles throughout the bloc. Mr Trump made headlines over Christmas for sparking his second government shutdown since he took office, over an impasse in congress to give the president funding to construct his proposed border wall with Mexico.
And with the shutdown looking likely to enter a second week, Mr Trump took to Twitter on Friday to blast “obstructionist Democrats” who continue to oppose his proposed border with Mexico.
Mr Trump wrote: “We will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely if the Obstructionist Democrats do not give us the money to finish the Wall & also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our Country is saddled with.
“Hard to believe there was a Congress & President who would approve!
"The United States looses soooo much money on Trade with Mexico under NAFTA, over 75 Billion Dollars a year (not including Drug Money which would be many times that amount), that I would consider closing the Southern Border a “profit making operation”.
“We build a Wall or close the Southern Border.
“Bring our car industry back into the United States where it belongs.
“Go back to pre-NAFTA, before so many of our companies and jobs were so foolishly sent to Mexico. “Either we build (finish) the Wall or we close the Border.”
Mr Trump also accused Mexico’s neighbours - Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador - of “doing nothing” for the United States and accused them of “taking the United States’ money.
The hardline President threatened to cut off aid supplies to the three Central American countries.
The President continued: “Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are doing nothing for the United States but taking our money.
“Word is that a new Caravan is forming in Honduras and they are doing nothing about it.
"We will be cutting off all aid to these 3 countries - taking advantage of U.S. for years!”
Mr Trump’s core campaign ticket was to build a wall around the southern US border to stop what he has described as “illegal Mexican immigrants” from entering the country.
The President partially shut government offices down after his demands for funding for the wall were not fulfilled.