President-elect Donald Trump has stirred controversy this week with his pledge to impose new tariffs on imports from the United States’ top trading partners: Canada, China, and Mexico. Earlier this week, Trump announced plans to implement a 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico and Canada, alongside a 10% tariff on Chinese products. This marks Trump’s first major tariff promise since his election, signaling a tough approach to trade with these countries.
He stated that, upon taking office, he would sign executive orders to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada, maintaining that the tariffs would remain in place until the flow of illegal immigration and fentanyl into the U.S. was stopped. “This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” Trump wrote.
Canada: The biggest surprise
Trump’s hard-line stance on China, which conservatives view as a threat to U.S. economic and national security, comes as no surprise. Similarly, his criticism of Mexico is rooted in long-standing concerns over immigration and border security. But what’s less expected is the inclusion of Canada, the U.S.’s northern neighbor, in this tariff plan.
While it’s possible that these tariff threats are part of a broader negotiation strategy, there has been a notable uptick in border apprehensions in recent months. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, arrests at the U.S.-Canada border surged from 10,021in the 12-month period ending September 2023, to 23,721 in the following year.
Immigration has been one of Trump’s signature issues since his 2016 campaign, and his tough stance on border security continues to resonate with his political base. In response to Trump’s remarks, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the concerns within his own country, emphasizing the ongoing strong ties between the U.S. and Canada. “We talked about how the intense and effective connections between our two countries flow back and forth,” Trudeau said, noting that both nations could collaborate on addressing shared challenges.
If these tariffs are enacted, the impact could be significant. Canada exports about 77% of its goods to the U.S., according to the Toronto Region Board of Trade, meaning that such measures could have far-reaching economic consequences for both countries.
Elon Musk on Trump’s tariff crackdown
Reacting to a post that discusses Trump’s latest tariff plan, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to X and said, “Price of Fentanyl will rise sharply.”