Trump Passes Over Kari Lake In His Choice For Ambassador To Mexico

President-elect Donald Trump passed over Kari Lake in his choice for the next U.S. ambassador to Mexico, announcing Ronald Johnson, a former U.S. ambassador to El Salvador, as his pick.

"Ron will work closely with our great Secretary of State Nominee, Marco Rubio, to promote our Nation's security and prosperity through strong America First Foreign Policies," Trump said when making the announcement on his Truth Social platform. The message highlighted Johnson's diplomatic experience and more than two decades of service with the CIA.

Johnson served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration from 2019 to 2021. His new role places him at the forefront of a relationship that has grown increasingly central to U.S. immigration policy. Trump, who made of border security a key issue of his election campaign, praised Johnson's credentials, saying he would collaborate closely with Marco Rubio, the Florida senator tapped to become secretary of state.

Mexico is bracing for changes in its diplomatic relations once Trump takes office in January. President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday that the country is seeking agreements to prevent large-scale deportations of migrants from third countries, which could strain the country's resources.

Sheinbaum highlighted Mexico's stance that deportations of Mexican nationals are unwarranted, underscoring their contributions to the U.S. economy. Meanwhile, U.S. government estimates suggest that nearly half of the undocumented immigrants living in the country are Mexican.

Trump has previously warned of imposing tariffs on both Mexico and Canada if they fail to curb what he has described as high levels of drug trafficking and migration across their borders. Recent comments by the president-elect about how Mexico and Canada are "bringing crime and drugs" into the United States have increased tensions among all three North American partners. In response to Trump's threats of imposing a 25% tariff, Sheinbaum took a firm stance, saying Mexico "negotiates as equals, there is no subordination here."

Mexico, on its end, is preparing an interagency plan in response to the potential mass deportation of Mexican nationals from the US, should the policy proposals of U.S. President-elect come to fruition after his inauguration on January 20, 2025, according to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Juan Ramón de la Fuente.