Trump Decides To Hit Canada With 35% Tariff

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IANS)- US President Donald Trump announced that a 35 percent tariff will be placed on all imports from Canada beginning August 1. He cited what he described as Canada’s insufficient efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl into the United States.

The President’s remarks come despite evidence indicating that the vast majority of fentanyl trafficked into the United States enters through the southern border with Mexico, not the northern border with Canada.

In a letter addressed to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and shared via his social media platform, Trump stated that the tariff could increase further if Canada responds with retaliatory measures. He also left the door open for negotiation, saying, “If Canada works with me to stop the flow of fentanyl, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter.” He added that the tariffs could be revised upward or downward depending on the evolving relationship between the two countries.

Trump has broadened his trade war in recent days, setting new tariffs on a number of countries. In addition to Canada, he has recently imposed new tariffs on Japan and South Korea, and announced a 50 percent tariff on imported copper.

In a separate interview with NBC News published July 10, Trump suggested more countries could soon face blanket tariffs ranging from 15 to 20 percent, depending on their trade practices and cooperation on security-related matters.

The United States had previously levied a 25 percent tariff on various Canadian goods, though many items were later exempted under the terms of the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). It remains unclear whether those exemptions will remain in effect when the new tariffs begin.