Donald Trump

Trump vs. Mexico: What the GOP Nominee's Had to Say about the Nation, and Vice Versa

The Republican presidential nominee has hurled many an insult at those across the U.S.'s southern border, and their leaders have hurled them right back

Since the moment he launched his campaign for president, Donald Trump has had plenty to say about Mexico. And a series of leaders of American's southern neighbor have had lots to say about the Republican nominee, too.

"I ask you to open your eyes, because this is a false prophet who will lead you to the precipice with all his ignorance," former Mexican President Vicente Fox said in February.

They weren't the strongest words he's had for the New York billionaire, either. Fox saved those for Trump's proposal to build a wall along the U.S. southern border and his insistence that Mexico foot the bill. "I'm not going to pay for that f---ing wall," Fox said. "He should pay for it. He's got the money."

Trump didn't take kindly to the cursing. At a Republican primary debate a few hours later, Trump responded: "The wall just got 10 feet taller."

Cooler heads may prevail Wednesday when Trump meets with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto at his official Los Pinos residence in Mexico City. But the history between Trump and Mexico's most recent leaders is unquestionably heated. A look at some of the things they've all said about each other:

"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." — Trump, campaign announcement speech, June 16, 2015.

"There have been episodes in human history, regrettably, where these expressions, of this strident rhetoric, has only led to fateful scenes in the history of humanity. ... That's the way Mussolini arrived and the way Hitler arrived. I hope that prudence and restraint will prevail among the voters there, and at the end of the day there will be a government that we can seek dialogue with, as we have done with the government of the United States." — Pena Nieto, interview with the Mexican newspaper Excelsior, March 7, 2016.

"The Mexican government is much smarter, much sharper, much more cunning. And they send the bad ones over, because they don't want to pay for them. They don't want to take care of them. Why should they when the stupid leaders of the United States will do it for them? And that's what is happening, whether you like it or not." — Trump, Republican primary debate, Aug. 6, 2015.

"He should know we Mexicans are small, but spicy, like chili peppers. Don't mess with us. Don't offend our dignity. Republican Party, where are you? Wake up! Wake up, America, from this nightmare, from this Republican, Trumpist nightmare." — Fox, in an interview with The Associated Press, March 9, 2016.

"If you look at the statistics on rape, on crime, on everything coming in illegally into this country, they're mind-boggling! Well, somebody's doing the raping ... I mean, you know, it's, I mean, somebody's doing it. You think, it's women being raped. Well, who's doing the raping? Who's doing the raping? I mean, how can you say such a thing?" — Trump, mistakenly citing statistics that referenced the number of women raped while crossing into the U.S., in an interview with CNN, July 1, 2015.

"I think his logic of exalting white supremacy isn't even acting against immigration — Donald Trump is the descendant of migrants — it is acting and speaking against immigrants who have a different skin color than him, which is frankly racist and is a bit like the exploitation of raw nerves that Hitler did in his day." — Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon, speaking to reporters after a meeting of the National Action Party, Feb. 27, 2016.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us