Donald Trump speaks as he departs the White House, May 30, 2019 (Win McNamee/Getty)

Donald Trump links his trade wars and anti-immigrant campaign with the announcement of a 5% tariff on Mexico.

Trump sent the message on Twitter on Thursday.

In a White House statement, Trump declared that the tariffs will be raised to 10% on July 1 “if the crisis persists”, and then by an additional 5% each month for three months.

The duties on Mexico are being imposed three weeks after Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods from 10% to 25% and threatened to impose the charge on the remaining $350 billion of Beijing’s products. He has also slapped steel and aluminum tariffs, including on the European Union, Canada, and Mexico, and he is threatening duties on Japanese and German automobiles.

See also TrumpWatch, Day 837: Trump Steps Up Trade War With China

Economists have projected a potential damage of $1.3 trillion in GDP from the Chinese measures alone, and manufacturers, farmers, and consumer associations have warned of serious effects. Rufus Yerxa, the President of the National Foreign Trade Council, said on Thursday that the Mexican tariffs are “a colossal blunder”.

Earlier this month, Trump announced a $16 billion package for farmers. Exports of agricultural products and livestock from corn to pork, especially to China, have been restricted. Foreign sales of soybeans have been almost wiped out.

Trump also risked the revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico with Thursday’s step.

After months of pressure and threats from Trump, Ottawa and Mexico City reached agreement with the US last autumn — albeit with compromise on all sides rather than Trump’s demand for concessions. The deal has yet to be approved by Congress.

Mexico is the largest trading partner of the US, exporting $346.5 billion of goods last year.

Trump had recently agreed to lift tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico. In return, tariffs would be removed on US goods, including farm products such as pork, whiskey, apples, and cheese.

Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister Jesús Seade said Trump’s tariffs would be “disastrous” and suggested Mexico could retaliate. But President Andrés Manuel López Obrador was circumspect in a letter to Trump, posted online, which said he did not want a “confrontation” and insisted on dialogue.

The Anti-Immigration Priority

But Trump and his closest advisors have been committed to strict anti-immigration measures since taking office in 2017, backed up by Trump’s insults of Mexico sending criminals, drug dealers, and “rapists” across the US border.

Under its “zero tolerance” policy, the Administration separated almost 3,000 children from undocumented migrant parents until courts blocked the seizure and detention of the juveniles. It has restricted the rights of asylum seekers, and is now considering a measures requiring migrants from Central America to halt in the first country they reach — thus blocking any further movement towards the US.

Foreign aid has been cut to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Trump threatened in April to close the border with Mexico, later revising this to a “one-year warning” and threat of heavy tariffs. His diversion of US agents inspecting goods to man the border disrupted trade with long waits at US-Mexico crossings.

See also TrumpWatch, Day 809: Trump — Close Border, Ignore Courts, Purge Officials

Trump’s hardline advisor Stephen Miller is also pursuing steps to cut legal immigration by about 25%. Proposals include the possible deportation of any immigrants who has entered the US in the past five years and is receiving public assistance.

See also TrumpWatch, Day 834: Trump Administration Proposal to Deport Legal Immigrants

Trump’s attempt to build his Wall with Mexico has been checked by Congress and the courts, forcing him to shut down the Federal Government for 35 days in December-January and then to declare a “national emergency” to take the money from the US military for the 30-foot high barrier.

But the Trump camp is hoping to use the anti-immigration campaign as a leading theme of the 2020 re-election campaign, portraying their valiant “Finish The Wall” against devious opponents undermining America.