Mexican president cancels White House visit amid tensions over wall

By Associated Press

Published: January 26, 2017 at 5:25 PM

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto gives a foreign policy speech after US President Donald Trump vowed to start renegotiating North American trade ties, in Mexico City on January 23, 2017.
Trump's vows to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement to protect US jobs have raised concern in Mexico, which sends most of its exports to the United States. Pena Nieto's office said he congratulated Trump on taking office in a phone call Saturday and that both had agreed to open a "new dialogue." / AFP / Ronaldo SCHEMIDT (Photo credit should read RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images) — Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto gives a foreign policy speech after US President Donald Trump vowed to start renegotiating North American trade ties, in Mexico City on January 23, 2017. Trump's vows to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement to protect US jobs have raised concern in Mexico, which sends most of its exports to the United States. Pena Nieto's office said he congratulated Trump on taking office in a phone call Saturday and that both had agreed to open a "new dialogue." / AFP / Ronaldo SCHEMIDT (Photo credit should read RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images)RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images

Mexicos president Enrique Peña Nieto says hes informed the White House he has cancelled a trip to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump amid tension over a border wall.

Mexico's president Enrique Peña Nieto says he's informed the White House he has cancelled a trip to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump amid tension over a border wall.

Trump had tweeted Thursday morning that if Mexico is unwilling to pay for a wall along the U.S. border, "then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting.''

Late Thursday morning, Peña Nieto took to Twitter himself, saying he would be doing just that.

"This morning we informed the White House that I will not attend the working meeting scheduled for next Tuesday with the @POTUS," the tweet read.

The developments come the day after Trump said he will jump-start construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall and cut federal grants for immigrant-protecting "sanctuary cities.''