Trump to meet Nieto on Wednesday

  • 31/08/2016
US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (Reuters)
US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (Reuters)

US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump says he plans to meet Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Wednesday, hours before outlining his proposals for cracking down on illegal immigration.

"I have accepted the invitation of President Enrique Peña Nieto, of Mexico, and look very much forward to meeting him tomorrow," Mr Trump said on Twitter on Tuesday.

The Mexican government also confirmed the meeting in a tweet on Tuesday, saying Mr Trump had accepted an invitation to meet Mr Peña Nieto in private.

Mr Trump has said, if elected on November 8, he would carry out a pledge to build a wall along the US southern border with Mexico to prevent illegal crossings into the United States.

He has steadfastly demanded that Mexico pay for the wall, a position that Trump supporters cheer but which Mexican officials have scoffed at.

The hastily arranged trip will be Mr Trump's second significant appearance on the world stage during his presidential campaign. A June visit to his golf courses in Scotland was dominated by his reaction to Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

The Mexico trip looked to be the type of dramatic, Trump-style event that would ensure he dominated the headlines as he tried to further close a gap in national opinion polls that currently favors his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Talks between the Trump campaign and the Mexican government on the trip began after Mr Trump decided last weekend to take Mr Peña Nieto up on an offer to meet, a source familiar with the situation said.

Mr Trump is expected to meet the Mexican leader in Mexico in between fundraising events he has scheduled in California and his immigration speech in Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday night.

Reuters