Trump Is Said to Have Overruled Kushner and Other Aides in Threatening Mexico With Tariffs

AdvertisementSupported byBy Ana Swanson, Maggie Haberman and Alan RappeportWASHINGTON — President Trump pushed ahead with plans to impose tariffs on Mexico over the objections of several top advisers, including his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, opting to side with hard-line officials who were advocating the move, according to multiple administration officials and people briefed on their plans.For several weeks, Mr. Trump’s top economic advisers have been urging the president not to use tariffs to punish Mexico for failing to stop the flow of migrants into the United States. Tariffs, they argued, would hurt Mexico’s economy and put pressure on its government to finally take action.Mr. Trump had made clear in several meetings that he wanted to move ahead, and the White House had started preparing paperwork weeks before.“I want to do this,” Mr. Trump would say when aides raised concerns.While many of his advisers believed the move was risky and could hurt American consumers, businesses and the stock markets, few wanted to directly challenge the president.Mr. Lighthizer, the United States trade representative, voiced concern about the impact on ratifying the newly negotiated pact, known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but he ultimately viewed his role as carrying out Mr. Trump’s decision.Mr. Mnuchin privately believed the tariffs could derail the pact, complicate Washington’s rocky trade negotiations with China and risk unsettling stock markets, but in the end his objections were mostly about timing.