- For Canada and Mexico, Trump is asking that the two countries halt the flow of fentanyl and illegal immigrants Trump into the United States
President Donald Trump of the United States on Saturday ordered the imposition of tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China, fueling concerns of an imminent trade war that could devastate the global economy.
The development, according to the three executive orders signed by Trump, will see U.S citizens pay 25% tariffs on Mexican and most Canadian imports and 10% on goods from China, starting on Tuesday.
For Canada and Mexico, Trump is asking that the two countries halt the flow of fentanyl and illegal immigrants Trump into the United States.
Meanwhile, Mexico and Canada, the top two U.S. trading partners, immediately vowed retaliatory measures, while China said it would contest Trump’s decision at the World Trade Organization and take other countermeasures.
The U.S. President vowed to retain the duties in place until what he described as a national emergency over fentanyl, a deadly opioid, and illegal immigration to the U.S. ends.
The White House provided no other parameters for determining what might satisfy Trump’s demands.
Responding to concerns raised by oil refiners and Midwestern states, Trump imposed only a 10% duty on energy products from Canada, with Mexican energy imports facing the full 25% tariff.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would respond with 25% tariffs against $155 billion of U.S. goods, including beer, wine, lumber and appliances, beginning with $30 billion taking effect Tuesday and $125 billion 21 days later.
Trudeau warned U.S. citizens that Trump’s tariffs would raise their grocery and gasoline costs, potentially shutting down auto assembly plants and limiting supplies of goods such as nickel, potash, uranium, steel and aluminum.
The Canadian prime minister urged his own citizens to forego travel to the U.S. and to boycott U.S. products.
On her part, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, in a post on X, said she was instructing her economy minister to implement retaliatory tariffs but gave no details.
Canada and Mexico said they were working together to face Trump’s tariffs.
Meanwhile, China’s Commerce Ministry did not specify its planned countermeasures. Its statement left open the door for talks between Washington and Beijing.
“China hopes that the US will view and handle its own fentanyl and other issues in an objective and rational manner,” it said, adding that Beijing wanted to engage in frank dialogue, strengthen cooperation and manage differences.