Trump in Mexico

Several major Latino surrogates for Donald Trump are reconsidering their support for him following the Republican nominee’s hardline speech on immigration Wednesday night.

Jacob Monty, a member of Trump’s National Hispanic Advisory Council, has resigned, and Alfonso Aguilar, the president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, said in an interview that he is “inclined” to pull his support.

[...]

He withdrew from the board following Trump’s speech in Phoenix, which was heavy on calls for border security and emphasized that all immigrants in the country illegally were subject to deportation.

  Politico

Let me guess...Trump didn't talk like this hours before in Mexico. Does he not know that TV coverage is available in both countries?

At campaign rallies nationwide, Trump has a favorite call-and-response in which he asks his massive crowds who is going to pay for the wall he has promised he would build.

“Mexico!” his supporters shout back. In his Phoenix speech, he renewed his promise to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it.

  WaPo

[Alfonso] Aguilar was once a Trump critic who earlier this summer set aside his qualms about Trump’s rhetoric toward Hispanic people, and organized a letter of support signed by himself and other prominent Latino conservatives. Since then, he has repeatedly defended Trump in media appearances, as has Monty. Neither plans to support Hillary Clinton.

“It’s so disappointing because we feel we took a chance, a very risky chance,” Aguilar said. “We decided to make a big U-turn to see if we could make him change. We thought we were moving in the right direction … we’re disappointed. We feel misled.”.

  Politico

You really weren't paying attention then, were you?

MEXICO CITY — Donald Trump, who has made maligning illegal immigrants from Mexico a cornerstone of his presidential campaign, met with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Wednesday — striking a remarkably subdued and cooperative tone.

[...]

Trump said at the joint news conference in Mexico that he and Peña Nieto didn’t discuss who would pay for his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, despite his long-standing vow to compel Mexico to foot the bill. He and Peña Nieto avoided direct confrontation in front of the cameras, airing their differences on immigration, border security and trade in cordial tones.

[...]

“We did discuss the wall. We didn’t discuss payment of the wall. That’ll be for a later date. This was a very preliminary meeting,” the candidate said.

  WaPo

Peña Nieto later claimed the two had discussed the wall and who would pay for it -- and he had "made it clear" to Trump it wouldn't be Mexico.

"At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Peña Nieto tweeted, after their meeting Wednesday.

  CNN

To be fair, he had to say that. His fellow Mexicans are not happy with his invitation to bring Trump to the country.  But it's unlikely that having talked about the wall - which Trump admits they did - the subject of who'd pay didn't come up, since that's Trump's big rallying cry.

In subsequent interviews in Mexico, Peña Nieto reiterated his version of events. He told CNN affiliate Televisa in an interview late Wednesday some of the positions Trump has taken "are a threat to Mexico."

He also told the outlet he was very clear with Trump about the subject of a wall at the border and insisted Mexico would not pay for it and he made Trump aware that the people of Mexico had been "very insulted."

Peña Nieto, speaking alongside Trump during their joint appearance, twice stressed the "responsibility" he has to defend Mexican people around the world and said Trump has made "assertions that regrettably had hurt and have affected Mexicans."

"The Mexican people have felt hurt by the comments that have been made. But I am sure that his genuine interest is to build a relationship that will give both of our society's better welfare," Peña Nieto said.

Right.

The whole thing is ridiculous. Peña let his people down. But I'm pretty sure he knows if he allocated any money to pay for a border wall, he'd be torn unceremoniously from his perch by an angry mob.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.