Trump says 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports will start Tuesday
US President Donald Trump has that 25% taxes on imports from Mexico and Canada would start on Tuesday, sparking renewed fears of a North American trade war that already showed signs of pushing up inflation and hindering growth.
“Tomorrow — tariffs 25% on Canada and 25% on Mexico. And that’ll start,” Mr Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt Room.
“They’re going to have to have a tariff.”
Mr Trump has said the tariffs are to force the two US neighbours to step up their fight against fentanyl trafficking and stop illegal immigration.
But Mr Trump has also indicated that he wants to even the trade imbalance with both countries as well and push more factories to relocate in the US.
His comments quickly rattled the US stock market, with the S&P 500 index down 2% in Monday afternoon trading.
It is a sign of the political and economic risks that Mr Trump feels compelled to take, given the possibility of higher inflation and the possible demise of a decades-long trade partnership with Mexico and Canada.
Yet the Trump administration remains confident that tariffs are the best choice to boost US manufacturing and attract foreign investment.
Before Mr Trump’s statement on tariffs in response to a question on Tuesday, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said that the computer chipmaker TSMC had expanded its investment in the US because of the possibility of separate 25% tariffs.
Mr Trump provided a one-month delay in February as both Mexico and Canada promised concessions.
But Mr Trump said on Monday that there was “no room left for Mexico or for Canada” to avoid the steep new tariffs, which were also set to tax Canadian energy products such as oil and electricity at a lower 10% rate.
“If Trump is imposing tariffs, we are ready,” said Canadian foreign minister Melanie Joly.
“We are ready with 155 billion dollars worth of tariffs and we’re ready with the first tranche of tariffs, which is 30 billion dollars.”
Ms Joly said Canada has a very strong border plan and explained that to Trump administration officials last week.
She said the diplomatic efforts are continuing. She spoke after Mr Trump made his comments on Tuesday.
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