Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's refusal to meet with Donald Trump has put the U.S. president on notice, said former Mexican President Vicente Fox.
"Now he has found you don't play around with Mexico," Fox told NBC's "Today" show. "We might not be too big, but we are smart and we are firm when we are speaking about sovereignty, when we're speaking about honesty, when we're talking about dignity.
"He [Trump] has now faced his first defeat, and he can not digest a defeat. His ego will not let him do that."
Fox added that Trump has "brought back a very strong Mexican spirit and we're ready for the trade war, and we're ready, of course, for not paying (for) that wall."
Trump signed an executive order to begin building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. On Thursday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer mentioned a 20 percent import tax, but later said that the White House had not settled on that option.
There is no diplomatic way to negotiate a payment by Mexico, Fox said.
"No, none at all, because President Pena (Nieto) is very firm on the position and now that Trump keeps playing around with everybody, keeps throwing smoke balls, by proposing a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports."
Fox blasted Trump's claims about the Mexico tax, calling it "nonsense," adding that he believes Trump would not spark a trade war over the issue.
"There's so much to lose… 10 million American jobs, which he has sworn to protect."
Fox, also appearing on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program, urged Trump to take his job seriously.
"Please, please grow up. Now you're president of a great nation, of the most powerful nation in the world. Please grow up and be, or try to be president," Fox said
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