‘The Trump whisperer’: How Mexican president Sheinbaum is handling US counterpart better than other world leaders

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum waves after speaking during a ceremony to mark the 87th anniversary of oil expropriation in Mexico City on March 18, 2025. — AFP pic

MEXICO CITY, March 20 — When environmental scientist and dedicated leftist Claudia Sheinbaum took office last year, few imagined that the Mexican president’s method of dealing with her polar opposite Donald Trump would become the envy of other leaders.

But despite having little previous international experience, Mexico’s first woman president has won plaudits for her handling of delicate diplomatic relations with her mercurial US counterpart.

The 62-year-old former student activist and ex-Mexico City mayor is trying to juggle defending her country’s sovereignty with meeting Trump’s demands to tackle illegal migration and drug smuggling.

So far, the strategy appears to be working — the US president has twice granted Mexico tariff relief and described Sheinbaum as a “wonderful woman,” prompting the Washington Post to call her “the world’s leading Trump whisperer.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is among those who have praised Sheinbaum’s calm approach negotiating with her US counterpart.

What is Sheinbaum’s formula for handling Trump?

Cool head

After Trump vowed to deport millions of migrants and declared a national emergency at the southern US border, Sheinbaum responded by saying that it was “important to always keep a cool head.”

Avoiding a big reaction to Trump’s rhetoric is part of her strategy, said Pamela Starr, an expert on US-Mexican relations at the University of Southern California.

The approach has set Sheinbaum apart from other leaders including Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, a fellow leftist who refused entry to military planes carrying Colombian deportees, prompting a diplomatic row with the White House.

And in contrast to Canada, rather than immediately retaliating when Trump introduced tariffs, Sheinbaum scheduled a rally days later to announce details of a countermeasure, giving herself time to persuade him to delay duties.

“She removed testosterone from the equation,” said Pedro Miguel, a journalist close to the ruling party.

Sheinbaum has been emboldened by an approval rating of more than 80 percent.

Asked at a news conference last month if she feared Trump, Sheinbaum said: “I have a people who support me. When you have certainty and conviction and know what your principles are, why should you be afraid?”

Mexico is under pressure by Donald Trump to tackle illegal migration and drug smuggling. — AFP pic

Prevention

Sheinbaum talked a lot about Trump with her predecessor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to understand him, said Miguel, who is close to the former Mexican president.

Lopez Obrador had to work with Trump during his first term in office and considered him his “friend.” He even defended the Republican when Trump’s Twitter and Facebook accounts were suspended in 2021.

Sheinbaum has taken a “preemptive” approach to dealing with Trump, Starr said.

“She’s trying to demonstrate that Mexico is continuing to cooperate on migration, it’s increasing cooperation and security, and that it’s a willing partner in redirecting supply chains away from China and toward North America,” she said.

As well as pledging to reinforce border security, Mexico has announced a series of major fentanyl seizures which Sheinbaum told Trump had led to a sharp drop in cross-border fentanyl transfer.

She has also presented a plan to replace imports from China with domestically produced goods, seeking to ease Washington’s concerns that Chinese companies want to use Mexico as a backdoor into the United States.

Firmness

During her election campaign, Sheinbaum said Mexicans should “never bow our heads” — a promise that she is trying to keep despite her country’s heavy economic reliance on the United States.

Even Trump has acknowledged Sheinbaum’s mettle, telling her “you’re tough” in a phone call, the New York Times reported, quoting people with knowledge of the exchange.

Sheinbaum angrily rejected accusations by the White House that her government has an alliance with drug cartels, and has repeatedly said she would oppose US military strikes on Mexican criminal groups.

In return for anti-drug efforts, she has urged the United States to do more to stop firearms trafficking into Mexico.

“She has been firm and strong... so far, she has been successful,” said Roberta Lajous, a former Mexican ambassador who served several foreign postings.

But Starr said that it was too soon to declare victory, with tariff relief on most Mexican goods due to expire in early April.

“Mexico dodged a bullet, but Trump still has a loaded gun in his hand pointed at Mexico,” she said. — AFP