Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday, 19 September 2026 that she held a phone call with US President Donald Trump to discuss progress in bilateral trade negotiations linked to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Sheinbaum described the conversation as 'very positive' and said the possibility of reaching a standalone Mexico-US trade agreement is 'advancing well.'

What the Call Covered

Speaking at her daily press conference in Mexico City, Sheinbaum said the discussions centred on bilateral relations and negotiations aimed at delivering 'greater financial certainty' for trade between the two countries. She confirmed that the two sides had reached 'some agreements' but added that details would not be disclosed until a final deal is formalised.

'We are making progress on trade issues,' Sheinbaum said, signalling cautious optimism without committing to a timeline. The next scheduled USMCA review meetings are set for 28 and 29 September in Washington.

Sovereignty and Bilateral Tensions

The phone call came against a backdrop of broader friction in the Mexico-US relationship. Earlier this month, during her second State of the Union Address at the National Palace, Sheinbaum had struck a notably firm tone on national sovereignty. 'In Mexico, we want cooperation, dialogue and understanding with all nations, but cooperation does not mean submission, friendship does not mean renouncing our principles,' she said at the time.

She reiterated her commitment to defending Mexico's 'sovereignty, dignity, and independence' for as long as she holds office — remarks widely read as a signal to Washington that trade engagement would not come at the cost of political concessions.

Migration Dispute Adds Pressure

Sheinbaum acknowledged 'difficulties' in the bilateral relationship stemming from what she described as US mistreatment of migrants. She noted that 17 Mexican nationals have died at US immigration detention centres, and that many others have been arrested in immigration raids across the United States. Mexico's government has reportedly filed formal complaints and demanded respect for the rights of its citizens.

In response to Washington's mass deportation campaign, Sheinbaum said her administration launched the 'Mexico te abraza' ('Mexico Embraces You') programme, which has so far assisted more than 281,000 deported or repatriated Mexican nationals with hot meals, transportation to their home communities, medical and psychological care, and identification documents.

What Comes Next

The 28–29 September USMCA review meetings in Washington will be closely watched as the next concrete checkpoint for the trade dialogue. Whether the undisclosed interim agreements will be made public by then — or whether a broader framework deal will emerge — remains unclear. The outcome of those sessions is expected to shape the trajectory of Mexico-US economic relations heading into the final quarter of the year.