Washington Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada declared Saturday evening that his nation would apply a 25% tax against $155 billion worth of U.S. goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian exports to the United States.
Hours after Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada, Trudeau made his remarks. Trump’s order imposed a 25% duty on Canadian and Mexican imports, with the exception of energy products from Canada, which would be subject to a 10% tariff. Additionally, he raised the duty on Chinese goods by 10%.
The tariffs on American goods include “immediate tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods as of Tuesday,” the day the U.S. is scheduled to start collecting tariffs on Canadian goods, according to Trudeau, who made this announcement late Saturday at the press conference. About three weeks from now, he said, the remaining tariffs will be implemented “to allow Canadian companies and supply chains to seek to find alternatives.”
“Like the American tariffs, our response will also be far reaching and include everyday items such as American beer, wine and bourbon, fruits and fruit juices, including orange juice, along with vegetables, perfume, clothing and shoes,” Trudeau stated. “It’ll include major consumer products like household appliances, furniture and sports equipment, and materials like lumber and plastics, along with much, much more.”
The implementation of reciprocal tariffs may not be unique to Canada. In a Spanish-language post to X, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that she had given her secretary of the economy instructions “to implement the Plan B we have been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico’s interests.”
“We categorically reject the White House’s slander of the Government of Mexico alleging alliances with criminal organizations, as well as any intention to interfere in our territory,” Sheinbaum wrote in the post to X, further denouncing the tariffs.
“Mexico not only does not want fentanyl to reach the United States, it does not want it to reach anywhere,” she said in Spanish.
“Therefore, if the United States wants to combat the criminal groups that traffic drugs and generate violence, we must work together in a comprehensive manner, but always under the principles of shared responsibility, mutual trust, collaboration and above all, respect for sovereignty, which is non-negotiable,” she stated. “Coordination, yes; subordination, no.”
Requests for response Saturday evening were not immediately answered by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Chinese embassy in the United States.
At a press briefing earlier this week, Mao Ning, the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, stated that China has supported the U.S.’s response to the fentanyl issue in the spirit of humanity and goodwill and has carried out extensive and comprehensive counternarcotics cooperation with the U.S. side.
According to the Chinese government transcript, Mao went on, “The accomplishments we have made are visible to everyone.” We hope the United States would attempt to maintain the favorable dynamics in the counternarcotics cooperation that have been earned through hard work.
International leaders’ tit-for-tat tariff pronouncements could drastically affect the cost of goods including food, electronics, and automobiles for consumers in the United States and outside.
Trump justified his decision in a post on Truth Social, citing “the major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs killing our Citizens, including fentanyl.”
A public dashboard from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows that the great majority of fentanyl seizures have occurred along the southern border rather than the northern one.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative reports that the top three import suppliers to the United States are China, Mexico, and Canada. As allies, Mexico and Canada have maintained stable economic ties with the United States for a long time.
Following his pledge in November to impose tariffs on goods originating from the three nations, Trump issued his executive order. Trump stated throughout his campaign that he would put a minimum 60% tariff on Chinese goods and a broad duty of up to 20% on imports from other countries.
During his first term, Trump placed tariffs on China, which led to the two nations enacting reciprocal tariffs on one another in what became known as a “trade war.” Experts have cautioned that additional tariffs may have an effect on national security and health programs between the two nations in addition to the economy.