‘SCARED of powerful women’: Trump overlooked by the internet as Americans praise Mexico’s president instead
President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico successfully evaded President Donald Trump’s tariffs on February 3. While the Trump administration declared this agreement as Trump’s win, Sheinbaum garnered widespread praise for being able to skillfully negotiate with the US president.
Last Monday, Sheinbaum tweeted on X that she “had a good conversation with President Trump.” The two world leaders reached an agreement, and Trump decided to stall the tariffs he intends to impose for one month. Sheinbaum willingly sent 10,000 members of the National Guard to the northern border of Mexico to prevent the trafficking of fentanyl. Meanwhile, Trump agreed to prevent the trafficking of high-grade US weapons to Mexico—most of these arms reach the hands of cartels.
The president of Mexico arrived thirty minutes late to the press conference. “You’ve all seen the tweet, haven’t you?” Sheinbaum grinned at the reporters, and the crowd erupted in applause. While many of Trump’s allies and MAGA voters attributed this de-escalation to the US President, several others on social media took a shine to Sheinbaum as well. One X user tweeted in admiration of Sheinbaum. They wrote, “How could I not love you?”
Another social media user on X took the opportunity to joke about Trump. They wrote, “So Trump caved…to a woman? Thanks DEI.” Someone egged the joke on and claimed, “Trump is SCARED of powerful women, always has been.” To play devil’s advocate, perhaps he isn’t afraid of strong women—he’s just starved for good press. If anything, he’s eager to maintain the caricature of a strongman president. His followers might see his forceful move as an efficient way to wield power, but Sheinbaum was able to handle Trump’s erratic tendency and carve out a deal of her own. Through this, she was able to reaffirm that Mexico responds to cooperation but not subordination.
Amidst all the laughter, several voices on social media pointed out that Mexico hasn’t committed to anything new. Instead, all Sheinbaum did was reiterate policies that Mexico already had in place. Before Trump’s tantrum on tariffs, Mexico had already agreed to station 10,000 troops on the northern border as early as 2019. In 2021, former President Joe Biden also had a deal with Mexico to extend the deployment of those troops. As a former United States ambassador to Mexico puts it, “I think all of this was a bit of the proverbial kabuki. A lot of movement, a lot of noise, but actually little action.”
Sheinbaum was able to thwart the immediate threat of tariffs for now. While Trump’s threats and future outbursts are imminent in the future, Sheinbaum was able to win on a key issue that plagues Mexicans. Through the agreement she forged with Trump, the United States will have to cooperate with curbing the flow of weapons to Mexico. It’s not an unfair responsibility to impose. Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Relations estimates that 70–90% of traced firearms passed through the United States. Ultimately, a deal is won so long as both parties get what they want. Trump gets his theater, and Sheinbaum is able to hold the United States accountable for the smuggling of illegal weapons in Mexico.
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