U.S. President Donald Trump says he will end a month-long pause and slap a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian goods as of March 4, claiming he needs to take action because “drugs are still pouring into our country” despite evidence that a crackdown at the border is working.
Trump said in a social media post Thursday that fentanyl imports are killing people and the U.S. “cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA” and he will levy a 25 per cent tariff on Canada “until it stops, or is seriously limited.”
He also says his threatened reciprocal tariffs on specific goods set to come into effect in April “will remain in full force and effect.”
The commitment comes after a week of chaotic messaging from the president.
Trump told reporters Monday that the tariff pause he negotiated with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be lifted next week and the 25 per cent levy on Canadian goods will go into effect.
Then, on Tuesday, White House staff told reporters the president was referring to other promised trade action in those remarks and the 25 per cent universal tariff (or 10 per cent on energy products) is still subject to some negotiations.
Trump was definitive on Thursday.
“Proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled,” he said.
