A cheeky response to Trump and Sheinbaum’s first presidential trip to Asia: Wednesday’s mañanera recapped

• 🇺🇳 Sheinbaum fires back at Trump’s U.N. remarks: Responding to Trump’s U.N. General Assembly claim that Mexico is the “epicenter” of cartel violence and that it’s “unacceptable” for the U.S. to border a country “controlled by enemy cartels,” Sheinbaum said she could just as easily say it is “very difficult to live next to a country” with such high illegal drug use and gun production.
• 🇨🇳 Sheinbaum to attend APEC Summit in China: The president announced she’ll travel to Shenzhen, China, in November for the APEC Leaders’ Meeting — her first trip to Asia as president. Mexico will host the APEC summit in 2028.
• 🚆 750-billion-peso investment in rail projects: Sheinbaum said Mexico is investing roughly 750 billion pesos (US $42.95 billion) in railroads this sexenio, with around 60,000 jobs tied to construction.

Why today’s mañanera matters

At her Wednesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum offered a riposte to the Mexico-related remarks U.S. President Donald Trump made during a 37-minute speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.

Her retort was significant as it demonstrated — once again — that Sheinbaum is prepared to forcefully counter Trump’s rhetoric on Mexico, while simultaneously seeking to maintain a positive and productive working relationship with the U.S. president and his administration.

Also of note at today’s mañanera was Sheinbaum’s disclosure that she will travel to China in November to attend the APEC Leaders’ Meeting. The trip will be Sheinbaum’s first to Asia as president. She has visited seven foreign countries since she was sworn in on Oct. 1, 2024: Panama, Brazil, Honduras, Canada, Guatemala, the United States and Spain.

Sheinbaum responds to Trump’s UN address 

A reporter asked the president about Trump’s U.N. General Assembly address, highlighting that the U.S. president described Mexico as the “epicenter” of cartel violence and declared that it is “unacceptable” for the United States to share a 2,000-mile border with a country “controlled by enemy cartels.”

Sheinbaum’s first response was to note that Trump also said “something else.”

“Let’s see, what did he say?” she asked, prompting the reporter to acknowledge that the U.S. president also said that his administration has “a very good relationship with the Mexican government.”

At UN, Trump singles out Mexico, likening cartels to ISIS

“They take one part of the statement and not the other,” Sheinbaum said without specifying who she was referring to.

She then gave a pointed response to Trump’s declaration that it is “unacceptable” for the U.S. to share a border with a country “controlled by enemy cartels.”

“I could say it’s very difficult to live next to a country that has such a high level of illegal drug use,” Sheinbaum said.

“Or I could say it’s very difficult to live next to a country that produces so many guns,” she said.

“But I’m not going to say it,” Sheinbuam said, eliciting laughter from the press corps.

“I’m not going to say it because we have a good relationship with President Trump and the U.S. government,” she said.

“We’re working in a coordinated way [on security challenges] and we’re making progress,” Sheinbaum said.

La presidenta Sheinbaum no quiso pronunciarse sobre las declaraciones de Trump ante la ONU

Afirma que es difícil vivir a lado de un país que es consumidor de drogas

Nada menciona sobre la protección de su gobierno a narcopolíticos de Sinaloa pic.twitter.com/jTmGlGH0UU

— Manuel Lopez San Martin (@MLopezSanMartin) September 23, 2026

Sheinbaum to attend APEC Summit in China 

Asked why she decided not to travel to New York to participate in the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly, Sheinbaum responded:

“There are moments and then there are moments when one decides to go or not go. I felt that this wasn’t the time to attend the [General] Assembly. I didn’t go last year either.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Roberto Velasco is representing Sheinbaum at the General Assembly. The president noted that he has not yet addressed the General Assembly.

She told reporters that she will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen, China, on Nov. 18 and 19. Sheinbaum noted that Mexico will host the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in 2028.

In China, “we’re going to receive the baton,” she said, although Vietnam will host the 2027 APEC event before Mexico gets its turn the year after.

Sheinbaum highlights 750-billion peso investment in rail projects

After an update on the various railroads currently under construction, Sheinbaum told reporters that the total investment in the projects is around 750 billion pesos (US $42.95 billion).

“That’s what we’re investing in trains in the sexenio,” she said, referring to her six-year period of government (2024-30).

Sheinbaum said that trains have “many virtues,” noting that they “connect regions” and “cities” and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by taking cars and buses off the roads.

She also highlighted that railroad projects create jobs. Sheinbuam told reporters that around 60,000 people are currently employed in jobs directly related to the construction of railroads. She also said that rail projects help drive economic growth.

“We’re very happy with the work being carried out,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the various railroad projects under construction, including lines linking Mexico City to Querétaro, Mexico City to Pachuca and Saltillo to Nuevo Laredo.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)