Mexican media: Trump threatens war with Mexico to collect border wall payment

Mexicans woke up today to some bizarre headlines warning them that Republican frontrunner Donald Trump would—if elected president—be willing to go to war with Mexico to make the country pay for his border wall.

This week’s headlines scream: “Donald Trump says he would be willing to launch a war if Mexico doesn’t pay for the wall.” And “If Mexico doesn’t want to pay for the wall, there will be war: Trump.”

The scandalous headlines follow a Live TV interview Trump did Wednesday on MSNBC with renowned U.S. journalist Bob Woodward. Here’s the controversial exchange that Mexican media interpreted as Trump saber-rattling.

“First of all Mexico is not going to build it, we are going to build it,” Trump said, repeating his claim that Mexico would pick up the bill for it.

Woodward asked, “If they say ‘no,’ would you be willing to go to war to make sure we get the money to pay for this wall?”

“When I rejuvenate our military, Mexico is not going to be playing with us with war. That I can tell you. Mexico is not playing with us with war,” Trump said.

Fusion reached out to the Trump campaign to ask for clarification, but they did not respond.

The latest chapter in the Trump v Mexico scandal comes on the heels of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto comparing Trump to Hitler and Mussolini and insisting that Mexico will not pay for his wall.