Tom Serpell

YOU WANTED A WALL, TRUMP? YOU’LL HAVE ONE. Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, responded to Trump’s threats: “So you voted to build a wall. Well then, dear Americans — even if geography isn’t your strong suit, and you see America as a country rather than a continent — you should know that on the other side of that wall stand 7 billion people. And if the word ‘people’ doesn’t resonate with you, let’s call them ‘consumers.’ Those 7 billion consumers can switch from iPhone to Samsung or Huawei in less than two days. They can trade Levi’s for Zara or Massimo Dutti, and within six months replace Ford and Chevrolet with Toyota, KIA, Mazda, Honda, Hyundai, Volvo, Subaru, Renault, or BMW — brands that are already more popular in many places. They can cancel DirecTV. And even if they choose not to, they can stop watching Hollywood films and turn instead to higher-quality productions from Latin America or Europe — with richer storytelling and better filmmaking. Believe it or not, people can skip Disney and visit the Xcaret resort in Cancún instead — or explore destinations across Mexico, Canada, or South America. Even in Mexico, you can find better burgers than McDonald’s — with higher nutritional value. Have you ever seen pyramids in the United States? Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, and Sudan have ancient wonders — none of them in the U.S. If they were, Trump would probably have bought and resold them by now. We know Nike isn’t the only sneaker brand. There’s Adidas — and even Mexican brands like Panama. We understand economics better than you think. And we also know that when those 7 billion consumers stop buying American products, unemployment will rise, and your economy — trapped behind its own self-imposed wall — will begin to collapse to the point where you’ll be begging for help. We didn’t want to do this. But you wanted a wall? Well. You’ve got one.” Her approval rating has reached a historic level — according to a recent poll, it stands at 85%.