US President Donald Trump has announced that his proposed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada will take effect on March 4, Al Jazeera reports.
He also threatened an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports, citing a continued influx of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the United States.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, Trump stated that the additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods would be implemented on March 4. This comes on top of a 10% tariff already levied on Chinese imports on February 4th, specifically targeting the fentanyl opioid crisis.
“We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled,” Trump declared. “China will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date.”
The announcement clarifies earlier ambiguity stemming from a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where Trump appeared to suggest a possible delay to April. Administration officials have since clarified that the April deadline refers to “reciprocal tariffs” designed to match import duty rates of other countries and offset their trade restrictions, such as European value-added taxes.
A White House official told Reuters that Trump decided to proceed with the tariffs due to what his administration views as insufficient progress in reducing fentanyl deaths.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control indicates that 72,776 people in the US died from synthetic opioids in 2023, primarily fentanyl.
In response to the impending tariffs, Canadian and Mexican officials were scheduled to meet with Trump administration counterparts in Washington D.C. on Thursday and Friday in an attempt to avert the measures, which could significantly impact the integrated North American economy.
Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard is scheduled to meet with newly confirmed US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday.
In Canada, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty expressed confidence that the progress Canada has made in tightening border security and combating drug smuggling should satisfy the Trump administration.
The Canada Border Services Agency announced a targeted, cross-country initiative focused on intercepting illegal contraband arriving and leaving the country, with a particular emphasis on fentanyl and other synthetic narcotics.
Meanwhile, China, in a letter to Greer, emphasized the need for equal dialogue and consultation to address concerns in economic and trade fields.
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