Trump’s Trade Talks and Market Reactions as Temporary Deal with Mexico Eases Tensions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump insisted he does not monitor the stock market, despite past indications to the contrary, as markets reacted to his latest trade decisions involving Mexico and Canada.

During a discussion on CNN, reporter Jeff Zeleny noted Trump’s remarks following his phone call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, in which he agreed to temporarily halt a planned 25% tariff on Mexican goods.

“Well, look, Brianna, you and Boris [Sanchez] were talking about at the very end there where President Trump said he doesn’t look at the stock market,” Zeleny said. “We asked that question if this was a decision he made with the Mexican President this morning because of the global stock reaction.

And he said ‘No,’ and he said, ‘I don’t look at the market. What was it doing?’ We know, obviously, based on watching him for a very long time, that is not true. We do not know if that’s why he reached a temporary agreement with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, but that was certainly interesting.”

Trump’s decision came after Sheinbaum agreed to deploy 10,000 Mexican National Guard troops to the U.S. border to deter drug traffickers. The agreement delays the tariff for one month, providing both governments time for further negotiations. Additionally, Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday morning and was scheduled for a follow-up call later in the afternoon.

Global markets responded sharply to Trump’s weekend announcement imposing trade tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. The Dow Jones, NASDAQ, and S&P 500 all opened lower on Monday, continuing their decline as concerns over the tariffs mounted.

ABC News reported, “The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid about 150 points, or 0.35%, in early trading on Monday. The S&P 500 dropped 0.7%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ticked down 1%.” However, stocks rebounded slightly following news of Trump’s temporary deal with Mexico, easing immediate concerns over trade disruptions.

Despite his claim of not monitoring the market, analysts have long noted Trump’s history of touting stock market gains as a reflection of his economic policies. The latest market swings, coupled with his temporary tariff suspension, raise questions about the extent to which economic factors influence his decision-making.

With negotiations between the U.S. and Mexico ongoing, investors remain cautious about the stability of trade relations in the weeks ahead. Meanwhile, Trump’s denials about watching the market continue to fuel speculation over the role of economic performance in shaping his policy choices.