President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs and possibly sanctions if he continues to take away the southern Texas farmers of Rio Grande Water, which were promised under the treaty decades ago.
In a post on True Society on Thursday, Trump declared that Mexico owes 1.3 million acre feet of Texas water under the 1944 water treaty, but Mexico is in violation of its obligations.
“This is very unfair and hurts the farmers in South Texas very seriously,” the president wrote. “Last year, Texas’ only sugar factory was closed, as Mexico steals water from farmers in Texas. Ted Cruz is leading the fight to borrow water from South Texas, but sleepy Joe refuses to lift his fingers to help farmers.”
Trump went on to say that Mexico would not violate treaties with the United States and harm Texas farmers.
The Texas Agricultural Crisis is on the verge of the US and Mexico’s long-standing water treaty
President Donald Trump threatened sanctions and tariffs in Mexico if they were not in compliance with the 1944 Water Treaty. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
“Last month, I stopped water cargo to Tijuana until Mexico complied with the 1944 water treaty,” he said. “My agricultural secretary, Brooke Rollins, is standing up for Texas farmers. We will continue to escalate the outcomes, including tariffs and possibly sanctions, until Mexico respects the treaty and gives Texas the water they owe!”
A Texas farm group warned of the disastrous season due to citrus fruits and sugar last year as Mexican and US officials tried to resolve a dispute over the 1944 water treaty supplying serious irrigation to American farmers.
The two countries had previously fought for the treaty, but drought-driven water shortages were the most severe in nearly 30 years.
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President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Mexico, and officials like Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum are currently working with the United States to take on the cartel and fentanyl. (Reuters)
Under the treaty designed to allocate shared water resources, Mexico will need to send 1.75 million acre feet of water from the Rio Grande to the United States over a five-year cycle.
Texas’ $5 billion citrus industry is heavily dependent on water from Mexico, especially as it is becoming more severe in the region. In fact, Texas is the third largest citrus state after California and Florida.
Last month, the Western Hemisphere’s Issues Bureau posted that it had rejected a request from Mexico to deliver water to Tijuana.
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“The ongoing shortage in Mexico under the 1944 Water Sharing Treaty is to destroy American agriculture, particularly farmers in the Rio Grande Valley,” the agency writes about X.
The day before, Sen. R-Texas, Sen. Ted Cruz, said South Texas was facing a water crisis, calling it an “artificial crisis.”
He also said he led the battle in the Senate, with Mexico competing to keep the treaty and deliver water to farmers in South Texas.
He shared a post from the Western Hemisphere’s Bureau of Issues, calling for a move of “excellent.”
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“As I said yesterday, this option is absolutely necessary for the Trump administration to put pressure on Mexico to fulfill its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty,” Cruz wrote to X.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to greg.wehner @fox.com and Twitter @gregwehner.
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