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As promised, President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China on Tuesday in response to ongoing illegal drug activity at the United States’ southern and northern borders.
As reported by RSBN, this includes 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, with an additional 10 percent against China’s current 10 percent tariff.
Last week, the president explained that these tariffs were essentially retaliatory due to what he described as an ongoing drug crisis that has remained unaddressed by these three countries.
He wrote in a statement that drugs were “still pouring into our Country” and noted that “more than 100,000 people died last year due to the distribution of these dangerous and highly addictive POISONS.”
In response to these tariffs, affected countries have made some political posturing in an attempt to push back. For example, Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to stop purchasing goods from the United States. “We buy over 3,600 products from 35 states,” he told MSNBC. “I talked to the Governor of Kentucky, and Mitch McConnell, [and they said] don’t touch our bourbon. I’m going after absolutely everything – and I don’t want to!”
He further claimed that Canada “keeps the lights on to 1.5 million homes and manufacturing in New York, in Minnesota…if [Trump] wants to destroy our economy, I will shut down the electricity going down to the U.S.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau further announced Monday that his government would respond with 25 percent tariffs against $125 billion of American goods, “starting with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately, and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion on American products in 21 days’ time.”
According to CBS, China also announced a retaliatory 10-15 percent tariff on U.S. agricultural products like wheat and soybeans. Thus far, Mexico has remained close-lipped about what their retaliatory actions will be, but the outlet reported that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will have a phone call with President Trump sometime this week.
President Trump has long maintained that tariffs would quickly drive the production of domestic wealth in America, but he acknowledged in early February that there may be some short-term discomfort associated with the trade policy switch.
“Jobs are going to go up and prices could go up, somewhere, short-term,” he told reporters in the Oval Office last month.
He said there might be a “short-term disturbance” but emphasized his belief that, in the long run, the tariffs would result in positive economic boons for Americans.
To be clear, Tuesday’s tariffs against China, Canada, and Mexico are separate from the scheduled reciprocal trade tariffs set to take effect in April, which will implement equal tariffs on goods imported from countries tariffing the United States.
On Tuesday, the president appeared unperturbed by the foreign response to his newest tariffs. He even took a swipe at Canada on Truth Social, pointing out, “Canada doesn’t allow American Banks to do business in Canada, but their banks flood the American Market. Oh, that seems fair to me, doesn’t it?”
He also reminded the world, “IF COMPANIES MOVE TO THE UNITED STATES, THERE ARE NO TARIFFS!!!”