Last week, during a town hall with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, the Republican presidential nominee was asked about Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s recent comments that he would meet with the next US president, regardless of who it is.
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Both Trump and Hillary Clinton were invited by Peña Nieto on August 26, at this time only the Trump campaign has confirmed plans to do so.
Donald Trump will be traveling to Mexico Wednesday to meet with that country’s president.
Donald Trump’s bumping over to Mexico!
Pena Nieto has been sharply critical of Trump’s original immigration policy, particularly the Republican’s insistence that Mexico would pay for the border wall. Trump has long called for deporting people now living in the US illegally and building a wall along the country’s border with Mexico.
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Peña Nieto is highly unpopular in Mexico; a meeting with someone like Trump could be exactly the distraction he needs, or it could completely backfire on him.
Trump has been pilloried by media in Mexico since he launched his presidential campaign past year with a barrage of broadsides against the country, saying it sent rapists and drug dealers north across the border.
After Mr Trump vowed to reclaim all remittances derived from illegal wages, Mr Calderon’s predecessor Vicente Fox, told the BBC: “Is Trump going to steal the money?”
Trump is scheduled to speak on immigration Wednesday evening in Phoenix.
“Trump, sensing an opportunity, decided over the weekend to accept the invitation and push for a visit this week, according to the people familiar with the discussions”, the newspaper reported, adding that the Trump campaign is still in talks with the Mexico government on the logistics of the meeting.
Clinton’s campaign has urged voters to not “be fooled” by what it calls Trump’s attempts to disguise his immigration policies. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime.
In his Arizona speech, Trump will detail where he stands on illegal immigration after worrying some conservative allies when he said last week he was “softening” his position on mass deportations.
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Trump’s short stop in Mexico would mark his second visit to a foreign country during his campaign.
