Trump rejects idea of summit with Mexican, Central American presidents

By Caroline Kelly, CNN
Updated 0202 GMT (1002 HKT) April 6, 2019

(CNN) — President Donald Trump said Friday that there was no need for a summit with the Presidents of Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador because "they understand" the implications of his recent move to cut stabilizing aid to the Central American countries.

Trump's dismissal of a summit comes in light of a recent uptick in Mexico's apprehensions of migrants at its southern border, shared with Central America. It remains unclear whether the increase was spurred by Trump's threat to shut down the US-Mexico border if Mexico didn't stop migrants from illegally crossing the US border or simply from greater immigration traffic.

When asked by Fox News' Griff Jenkins in an interview set to air Saturday whether he should arrange a summit with the four Presidents, Trump said such a meeting was unnecessary.

"No, no, I don't need a summit. I think we've done very well without the summit," the President said on "Fox and Friends Weekend."

"They understand we stopped. We're saving $550 million. And I respectfully told -- and I thank him very much because for the last four days it's been great."

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