Trump threatens 35% tariff on Canadian items and says he might double what different nations are charged
President Donald Trump has threatened a 35 percent tariff on Canadian goods and says he may double what other nations are charged.
Trump is playing hardball with countries that have yet to make a trade deal with him.
In a letter sent to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Thursday, Trump said the U.S. will charge a 35 percent tariff on goods imported from Canada starting August 1.
Trump has already imposed some hefty levies on Canada since taking office, which he told Carney was in response to “failure to stop [fentanyl] from pouring into our Country.”
Then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in February less than 1 percent of street fentanyl in the U.S. comes from Canada.
Trump added in his letter, “The flow of Fentanyl is hardly the only challenge we have with Canada,” writing that the country “charges extraordinary Tariffs to our Dairy Farmers.”
The president said his administration “will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter” if Canada works to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
Canadian goods that are not under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement Trump brokered during his first term are already subject to a 25 percent tariff. Canadian energy imports face a 10 percent levy.
Canada has also hit the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs, including a 25 percent levy on live animals, meat, dairy, eggs and honey.
Carney has yet to publicly respond to Trump’s letter.
Trump also told NBC News’ Kristen Welker Thursday he plans to impose higher blanket tariffs on most trade partners. There is currently a 10 percent blanket tariff on all countries.
“We’re just going to say all of the remaining countries are going to pay, whether it’s 20% or 15%. We’ll work that out now,” he said.
Trump sent out letters similar to the one he sent to Carney to other world leaders Monday — the same day White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Trump would delay the July 9 deadline he set for countries to either make a deal with him or face high tariffs.
The Trump administration initially promised “90 deals in 90 days,” but fell massively short of it.
The president threatened Japan and South Korea, two strong U.S. allies, with 25 percent tariffs, and 19 other countries with levies ranging from 25 to 40 percent.
This is a developing story…
Source: independent.co.uk
