A drone view shows the Morelos Dam, which diverts Colorado River water to the Mexicali Valley, as the Mexican government announced an immediate water delivery to Texas farmers to help address a shortfall under a treaty that has strained U.S.-Mexico relations and prompted tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump, in Los Algodones, Mexico, April 10, 2025.
Victor Medina | Reuters
President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose an additional 5% tariff onMexicoif it doesn’t immediately provide additional water to help U.S. farmers, accusing the country of violating a treaty that outlines water sharing between the neighbors.
Under the treaty,Mexicomust send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. from the Rio Grande through a network of interconnected dams and reservoirs every five years.
Trump said in a social media post thatMexico”owes” the U.S. 800,000 acre-feet of water due to violations of the treaty over the past five years.
He demandedMexicorelease 200,000 acre-feet of water before December 31, and more “soon after.”
The lack of water was hurting crops and livestock in Texas, Trump said.
“As of now,Mexicois not responding, and it is very unfair to our U.S. Farmers who deserve this much needed water,” Trump said. “That is why I have authorized documentation to impose a 5% Tariff onMexicoif this water isn’t released, IMMEDIATELY.”
A spokesperson forMexico’s economy ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In April, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said thatMexicohad agreed toincrease its water shipmentsto Texas to help make up a shortfall under the 1944 treaty.
Mexicohas argued that it is under drought conditions that have strained the country’s water resources.
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