President Donald Trump will be following through on his threat to hit Mexico, Canada and China with sweeping tariffs over complaints about illegal immigration and illicit drugs entering the U.S.
The administration will begin hitting Mexico and Canada with a 25% tariff and China with a 10% tariff beginning Saturday, White House Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt announced during a press briefing Friday. The announcement follows import tax threats long made by the Republican unless all three countries do more to address the illegal immigration crisis and the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States.
“I was just with the President in the Oval Office and I can confirm that tomorrow, the Feb. 1 deadline that President Trump put into place in a statement several weeks ago continues,” Leavitt said. “The President will be implementing tomorrow 25% tariffs on Mexico, 25% tariffs on Canada and a 10% tariff on China for the illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans.”
“These are promises made and promises kept by the president,” Leavitt continued. However, she was not yet able to comment whether exemptions would be made for oil imports.
Trump, who has executed an ambitious immigration enforcement agenda since re-assuming office, has wielded his authority to force other countries into cooperation. He most recently used the threat of tariffs to coerce Colombian President Gustavo Petro to take back his fellow countrymen after initially refusing to accept Colombia-bound deportation flights from the U.S.
The announcement Friday could possibly set the stage for a trade war with Mexico, Canada and China.
Outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped up border enforcement, visited Trump at Mar-a-Largo and deployed his own officials to Washington, D.C., in an effort to avoid a tariff battle. Nevertheless, Trudeau made clear that he will issue a “purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate” response if Trump follows through with his import tax threats.
Both Mexico and China have indicated that they will also respond with their own measures if they are hit with tariffs.
During the Friday press briefing, Leavitt brushed back questions over whether the move will spark a tariff war and ignite heightened inflation in the U.S., noting that the president has implemented tariffs in the past while keeping inflation rates low.
“I think Americans concerned with increased prices should look at what President Trump did in his first term,” she said.
“He effectively implemented tariffs and the average inflation rate during the first Trump administration was 1.9%,” Leavitt continued. “President Trump is going to do everything he possibly can to cut the inflation crisis that the previous administration imposed on the American people and he will continue to effectively utilize tariffs.”