The White House confirmed Friday that President Donald Trump will impose new tariffs on major U.S. trading partners this weekend, strengthening his administration’s efforts to protect American industry and national security.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that a 25 percent tariff will be placed on goods from Mexico and Canada, while Chinese imports will face a 10 percent duty. The move, she said, is aimed at holding these countries accountable for their role in drug trafficking and securing fairer trade terms for American workers.
“These nations have all enabled illegal drugs to pour into America,” Leavitt said. “The amount of fentanyl seized at the southern border in recent years alone has the potential to kill tens of millions of Americans, and so the president is intent on taking action.”
Trump’s first-term tariffs, which bolstered domestic manufacturing and shifted supply chains, laid the foundation for this broader strategy. This time, the administration is extending the use of tariffs beyond traditional trade concerns, linking them to broader policy objectives, including immigration and border security.
Together, Canada, Mexico, and China account for more than a third of total U.S. imports and exports, making them central to America’s trade landscape. The White House has positioned tariffs as both an economic tool and a means of securing commitments from these nations on issues ranging from drug trafficking to manufacturing policy.
Industries with cross-border supply chains—such as automobiles, agriculture, and consumer goods—are expected to face higher costs if the tariffs remain in place. Auto manufacturers in particular have been pressing the administration to reconsider, citing the complexity of supply chains that integrate production across the three countries.
While the administration has provided few details on whether certain exemptions will be granted, Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro suggested the tariffs would serve as a bargaining tool to achieve broader policy goals. Trump has recently indicated that the tariffs may exempt energy imports from Canada and Mexcio.
Canada and Mexico have signaled that they will respond if tariffs go into effect as planned on Saturday. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government has been preparing for months for potential U.S. trade measures.
“We are prepared for any scenario,” she said, noting that Mexico has taken significant steps to cooperate with U.S. officials on border security and migration control.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that his government was still unclear on the details of the tariffs but vowed to respond if necessary.
“If the president does choose to implement any tariffs against Canada, we’re ready with a response—a purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate response,” Trudeau said.
Economists are divided on the potential inflationary impact of the tariffs. Some argue that higher costs on imports could push prices higher for consumers, particularly in industries reliant on foreign components. Others contend that importers may absorb much of the cost, as they did during Trump’s first-term tariffs on China.
The effectiveness of the tariffs will depend largely on how trading partners respond and whether negotiations lead to concessions on border security and drug enforcement. Trump has indicated that the tariffs could be increased further if Mexico and Canada do not take additional action.
The administration has not ruled out sector-specific exemptions, though officials have provided few details on whether certain imports—such as oil—could be excluded.
For now, the move represents a major shift in how tariffs are being used as a policy tool, expanding their role beyond economic competition to broader geopolitical objectives.
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