White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump intends to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico as promised. She also mentioned that Trump is still considering additional tariffs on China. The President had set a deadline of February 1 for implementing 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports if steps were not taken to address immigration and fentanyl trafficking issues. Moreover, a 10% tariff on Chinese goods was proposed due to their involvement in the fentanyl trade.
Regarding the Saturday deadline, Leavitt stated, The president has also put out specific statements in terms of Canada and Mexico, when it comes to what he expects in terms of border security. She highlighted the notable cooperation from Mexico but emphasized that as of her recent communication with the president, the February 1 deadline remains in effect.
The criteria to avoid tariffs were not specified for Canada, Mexico, and China. Trump has mentioned that tariffs would persist until issues related to illegal immigration and drug trafficking are resolved.
Trump recently pressured Colombia into accepting U.S. deportations of illegal immigrants by leveraging the threat of tariffs. The situation with Colombia deviated from expectations when President Gustavo Petro refused to accept deportees and match tariffs, eventually leading to an agreement after a tense standoff.
The implications of imposing tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China—the three major U.S. trade partners—are substantial, given their combined annual trade value of over $2.1 trillion. The potential disruption to the integrated North American economy, particularly affecting the auto industry, underscores the complexities involved in trade relations.
In the upcoming confirmation hearing for Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick, who is also responsible for trade strategy, no new insights into Trump's trade policies have been disclosed.