Trump threatens big Canada, Mexico tariffs on day 1 in office

President-elect Donald Trump took to social media Monday night to announce that one of his first executive orders will be a 25 per cent tariff on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico.

The move, according to Trump, will be in retaliation for illegal immigration and “crime and drugs” crossing the border.

“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 posted on his media platform Truth Social.

He added that both countries have the absolute right and power to easily solve the “long simmering” problem.

Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland and Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc responded late last night in a joint statement, saying that the threatened new tariff would appear to violate the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement on trade.

They also stressed the importance of the U.S.-Canada trading partnership, saying 60 per cent of last year’s U.S. crude oil imports originated in Canada.

Ontario premier Doug Ford spoke out almost immediately on ‘X’, saying that Prime Minister Trudeau must call an urgent meeting with Canada’s premiers.

A 25 per cent tariff would be devastating to workers and jobs in both Canada and the U.S.

The federal government needs to take the situation at our border seriously. We need a Team Canada approach and response—and we need it now. Prime Minister Trudeau must call an urgent…

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) November 26, 2024

Trump also announced that he will implement 10 per cent tariffs on goods from China until it prevents the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S., citing that Chinese-made fentanyl is the root of many illicit drug problems.

The taxes on goods, if implemented, could dramatically raise prices for American consumers on everything from gas to automobiles to agricultural products.

The U.S. is the largest importer of goods in the world, with Mexico, China and Canada its top three suppliers. More than 75 percent of Canadian exports and 83 percent of exports from Mexico go to the U.S.

Donald Trump will be sworn into office as president on Jan. 25.

In the U.S., an executive order is a directive by the president that manages operations at a federal government level.

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