President Donald Trump will impose aggressive tariffs on major US trading partners including Canada, China and Mexico this weekend, the White House confirmed on Friday.
White House press secretary Caroline Levitt told reporters at a briefing that Trump will raise tariffs on Mexico and Canada to 25%, as well as a 10% tariff on China. In retaliation for the illegal fentanyl that these countries have allowed to be obtained and distributed to the United States.
“A 25% tariff on Mexico, a 25% tariff on Canada and a 10% tariff on China for the illegal fentanyl that they have sent into our country, which has killed 10 million Americans,” Levitt asserted.
Levitt also denied reports of tariffs being imposed on March 1, saying they were false and that Trump planned to impose them on the countries on February 1.
“These are promises made by the president and promises kept,” Levitt said. “Those tariffs will be for public consumption in about 24 hours tomorrow, so you can read them.” Trump has repeatedly said that he will follow through on his threat to import from Canada and Mexico on February 1. During the campaign, Trump threatened to impose tariffs of up to 60% on Chinese-made products, but on his first day back in the White House, he avoided any immediate action, instead ordering his administration to study the issue.
Earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his response to the U.S. tariffs would be “forceful but fair,” the Globe and Mail reported.
“If the president chooses to implement any tariffs against Canada, we are prepared to respond — a targeted, forceful but fair, immediate response,” Trudeau told reporters before a meeting with his advisory board on Canada-U.S. relations on Friday, the Globe and Mail reported.