This year's Republican Presidential nominee, Donald Trump, visited Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto, on Aug. 31 in Mexico City to discuss diplomatic issues, though controversy has so far arose from the private meeting and joint conference afterwards.
Trump spoke during the joint press conference stating that current events such as crime, drugs and illegal immigration were problems in both countries that they can solve together. However, this is not what the main focus in media was.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania freshman Devon Robinson commented on the meeting saying, “I think it’s hilarious. He wants to build a wall around it but then goes to visit.”
Many debated on Trump and Nieto’s meeting because of a campaign promise Trump had made back when he first started to run as the Republican nominee, the wall on the shared United States and Mexico southern border.
“We did discuss the wall, we didn’t discuss payment for the wall. That will be for a later date,” Trump stated at the joint press conference after the meeting.
However on social media, this statement was refuted by the Mexican president.
“Al inicio de la conversación con Donald Trump dejé claro que México no pagará por el muro,” he tweeted. This translates to, “At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made it clear that Mexico with not pay for the wall.”
This statement was not held up by Trump who tweeted early Thursday morning simply stating how Mexico would pay for the wall.
Nieto quote retweeted Trump with the message, “Repito lo que le dije personalmente, Sr. Trump: México jamás pagaría por un muro,” translating to, “I will repeat what I said in person Mr. Trump: Mexico will never pay for a wall.”
Some have commented on the Mexican president’s lack of rebuttal at the conference.
Provided by USA Today, Arturo Franco, senior nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council-- a U.S. based leadership and international activism promotion organization-- commented that Nieto, “had the last word. There was every opportunity to correct Trump.”
The disputes have risen on the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton side to weigh in and mock Trump, The Washington Post gave him two options.
“If he doesn't say Mexico will pay for it, it will look like another flip-flop — as though he is backing off that signature promise, too. If he does bring it up, it risks overshadowing whatever diplomatic progress he might have been made during this meeting — progress being credited to Trump,” an article stating in reference to the meeting.
On Clinton’s Twitter page, she personally tweeted about Trump’s lack of foreign policy skills.
“Trump just failed his first foreign test. Diplomacy isn't as easy as it looks. -H,” she wrote on Wednesday after the meeting and conference.
Several other non personal tweets were also on her page, and in a general, non specific audience related statement, Jason Miller, Senior Communications Advisor for Trump commented on his boss' lack of payment discussion.
Via the Cable News Network (CNN) Miller said, “It was not a negotiation, and that would have been inappropriate. It is unsurprising that they hold two different views on this issue, and we look forward to continuing the conversation.”
Only time will truly tell how this will run down for the rather unpopular Mexican president Nieto, who has an historically low approval rating of 30%, according to Expansión, and Republican nominee Trump who has been trailing Clinton in recent polls.
All Trump quotes not otherwise credited are provided by the Nation Broadcasting Company (NBC) videos.
