--- title: Read Donald Trump and Enrique Peña Nieto's Full Statement description: Donald Trump and Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto appeared together in a last-minute press conference canonical: https://time.com/4475102/donald-trump-enrique-pena-nieto-transcript/ author: Mahita Gajanan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-08-31T21:50:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T06:45:08.690Z article:section: Politics og:title: Read Donald Trump and Enrique Peña Nieto's Full Press Conference Transcript og:description: “We did discus the wall. We didn’t discuss payment of the wall" og:url: https://time.com/4475102/donald-trump-enrique-pena-nieto-transcript/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3afc5329fc0bc8fa/6988a4708e06012ea3467503/trump-nieto-mexico.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4513 og:image:height: 2539 og:image:alt: MEXICO-US-PENA NIETO-TRUMP og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Read Donald Trump and Enrique Peña Nieto's Full Press Conference Transcript twitter:description: “We did discus the wall. We didn’t discuss payment of the wall" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3afc5329fc0bc8fa/6988a4708e06012ea3467503/trump-nieto-mexico.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Read Donald Trump and Enrique Peña Nieto's Full Press Conference Statement > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=fa17bcd8-1c0e-4b03-8959-83a4fa221f4e&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Meeting Between Trump And President Of Mexico Was "Constructive" [Watch (HLS stream): Meeting Between Trump And President Of Mexico Was "Constructive"](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/9FEqaL35.m3u8) (2:22)  _Published 2016-08-31. Donald Trump on Wednesday defended the right of the United States to build a massive border wall along its southern flank, but he declined to repeat his frequent promise to force Mexico to pay for the wall._ by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Aug 31, 2016 9:50 PM UTC by [Mahita Gajanan](https://time.com/author/mahita-gajanan/) ## Mahita Gajanan Gajanan is an editor at TIME. Aug 31, 2016 9:50 PM UTC Donald Trump and Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto [appeared together in a joint press conference](http://time.com/4474940/donald-trump-enrique-pena-nieto-statement-mexico/?xid=homepage) in Mexico City following a closed-door meeting Wednesday. Addressing reporters from side-by-side podiums, [Trump and Nieto](http://time.com/4475088/donald-trump-mexico-enrique-pena-nieto/) talked about their “open and constructive” conversation. Trump, who has [repeatedly derided Mexico](http://time.com/4473972/donald-trump-mexico-meeting-insult/) since announcing his presidential candidacy last year, said the U.S. had the right to build a wall between the two countries, but declined to say his oft-repeated line that Mexico would pay for the wall. “We did discus the wall. We didn’t discuss payment of the wall,” Trump said. Read the full press conference below. --- > “” --- ## Transcript We had a very substantive, direct and constructive exchange of ideas over quite a period of time. I was straight forward in presenting my views about the impacts of current trade and immigration policies. On the United States. As you know, I love the United States very much. And we wanna make sure that the people of the United States are very well protected. You equally expressed your feelings and your love for Mexico. The United States and Mexico share a 2, 000 mile border, a half a trillion dollars in annual trade, and 1 million in legal border crossings each and every day. We are united by our support for democracy. We all share a common interest in keeping our atmosphere Safe, prosperous and free. No one wins in either country when human smuggler's and drug trafficker's prey on innocent people. When Cartel's commit acts of violence When illegal weapons and cash flow from the United States into Mexico. Or when migrants from Central America make the dangerous trek, and it is very, very dangerous into Mexico or the United States. Without legal authorization. We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall. That will be for a later date. This was a very preliminary meeting. I think it was an excellent meeting and we are, I think we're very well on our way. A lot of the things I've said are very strong but we have to be strong. We have to say what's happening And there is crime, as you know. There is a lot of crime. and there is a lot of problems. But I think together we will solve those problems. I really believe that the President and I will solve those problems. We will get them solved Illegal immigration is a problem for Mexico, as well as for us. Drugs are a tremendous problem for Mexico, as well as us. I mean it's not a one way street. And we will work together and we will get those problems solved ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4475102/donald-trump-enrique-pena-nieto-transcript/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4475102/donald-trump-enrique-pena-nieto-transcript/"},"headline":"Read Donald Trump and Enrique Peña Nieto's Full Press Conference Statement","datePublished":"2016-08-31T21:50:31.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-07T06:45:08.690Z","description":"“We did discus the wall. 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