(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump could decide over the weekend to delay tariffs he’s threatened against Mexico over a surge in illegal migration to the U.S., a top White House aide said, as negotiators from the two countries resume talks in Washington on Friday.
Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, said on Fox News that the Trump administration is moving forward with plans to enact a 5% tariff on Mexican imports on Monday. But he said Trump would have leeway over the weekend to delay the tariffs, if he chooses.
“They’re recognizing the problem, they’re offering some solutions but I confess there’s still a long way to go,” Short said of talks with the Mexican delegation.
Short told reporters at the White House that the administration would issue a required notification on Friday to pave the way for the tariffs. Trump is returning on Friday from a week-long trip to the U.K., France and Ireland.
Mexican officials have sought a delay for the tariffs in order to have more time to negotiate a response to the migration surge.
More than 144,000 people were apprehended after illegally crossing the southern border in May or were refused entry to the U.S. That’s the the most in a single month in at least five years; the number has grown every month since January.
