Trump asks Sheinbaum for energy alliances and more US gas purchases

US President Donald Trump insisted to President Claudia Sheinbaum in a phone call that there must be more agreements and alliances between energy companies in both countries, according to El Economista, citing a Financial Times report published on October 9, 2026. The conversation took place in mid-September, according to the same report.

According to Forbes México, the leaders discussed a scheme similar to the agreement Washington signed last year with South Korea, which committed purchases of US energy products worth 100,000 million dollars. The report, which cites people familiar with the conversation, indicates that Trump first asked about an agreement to sell Mexican assets to the United States. A US official noted that they also discussed Mexico raising its purchases of natural gas, an input that already covers nearly three quarters of its demand, and that the stated purpose of the conversations is to reduce Mexico's trade surplus. The Mexican government declined to comment on the conversation.

The energy axis intersects with the negotiation of the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement). According to El CEO, a formal round of negotiations scheduled in Washington was postponed and has not yet been rescheduled; so far, the energy issue has remained outside the main points of discussion. Rules of origin, security and tariffs remain on the table: a 25% tariff on cars manufactured outside US territory remains in force, along with up to 50% for steel and aluminum. A White House official indicated that the bilateral energy relationship can develop within the limits of US legislation and the Mexican Constitution.

The next point to watch is whether the energy chapter formally enters the USMCA agenda, now concentrated on rules of origin, security and tariffs, and when the Washington round is rescheduled. Mexico's dependence on US natural gas, which stands at around three quarters of demand, is the figure the sector will follow closely.

This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.