February 2, 2025/GNA
Feb 2 (VOA/GNA) – U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday that places 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10 percent tariffs on goods from China starting Tuesday, the White House said.
“Both Canada and Mexico have allowed an unprecedented invasion of illegal fentanyl that is killing American citizens, and also illegal immigrants into our country,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during her briefing Friday.
Trump, who is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, was not scheduled to speak to reporters.
While Canadian goods will face a 25 percent tariff, Trump said he would tariff Canadian crude oil imports at 10%. Mexico’s energy imports are included in its 25 percent tariffs. For Canada alone, Trump canceled the “deminimis” tariffs exemption for shipments worth less than $800.
China’s 10 percent would be on top of various existing tariffs on its goods.
Under the order, there is no process to seek an exception, but there is one to escalate the tariff rate if the countries retaliate.
Mexico and Canada responded later Saturday while China denounced Trump’s action Sunday but left open the possibility for talks to avoid worsening the situation.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ordered retaliatory tariffs in response to the U.S. move, saying in a post on X that her government would prefer dialogue but had been forced to respond.
“I’ve instructed my economy minister to implement the plan B we’ve been working on, which includes tariff and nontariff measures in defense of Mexico’s interests,” she wrote.
She also rejected “the White House’s slander that the Mexican government has alliances with criminal organizations, as well as any intention of meddling in our territory.”
“If the United States government and its agencies wanted to address the serious fentanyl consumption in their country, they could fight the sale of drugs on the streets of their major cities, which they don’t do, and the laundering of money that this illegal activity generates that has done so much harm to its population,” she wrote.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday that Canada would retaliate against the U.S. action with 25 percent tariffs on U.S. goods, saying that the tariffs would apply to $125 billion in 21 days.
He also said Canada is looking at nontariff measures, possibly retaliating to critical minerals, energy and other partnerships.
China on Sunday denounced the U.S. tariff on China, saying it would challenge the move in at the World Trade Organizations and take “corresponding countermeasures to resolutely safeguard our own rights and interests.”
While its Commerce Ministry said the U.S. move “seriously violates” international trade rules, it urged Washington to “engage in frank dialogue and strengthen cooperation.”
China, Mexico and Canada account for more than one-third of the goods and services imported into or brought from the United States.
Some economists warn that the tariffs could backfire.
GNA/VOA