It seems, for the time being, that the United States has averted the implementation of any tariffs on Mexico. After President Trump's tariff threat, both he and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador came to an immigration deal to prevent that threat from becoming reality. Champions of the administration's strategy say this proves that tariff threats are an effective negotiating tactic.
The administration's undoubted success in this particular negotiation begs two questions: Are tariff threats, in fact, effective strategic tools and are they ultimately worth it? For both questions, the answer is an unequivocal no.
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