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President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social early Thursday morning that he planned to hold firm to an April 2 implementation date for reciprocal tariffs and that retributive tariffs against China and Mexico would go into effect in early March as a response to the flow of fentanyl entering the U.S.
President Trump explained that tariffs against Mexico and Canada would go into effect on March 4 due to the ongoing drug crisis that he says is being facilitated by these countries. He wrote:
“Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels. A large percentage of these Drugs, much of them in the form of Fentanyl, are made in, and supplied by, China. More than 100,000 people died last year due to the distribution of these dangerous and highly addictive POISONS. Millions of people have died over the last two decades.”
The president also announced that China would be charged an additional 10 percent tariff on March 4.
To be clear, these tariffs appear to be separate from the reciprocal tariffs the president has announced will go into effect in April, which simply charge foreign trade partners an equal tariff on imported goods.
Trump addressed this in his Truth Social post, explaining, “The April Second Reciprocal Tariff date will remain in full force and effect.”
Earlier this month, the president shared his viewpoint on reciprocal tariffs, emphasizing that those businesses that chose to bring their production plants back into the United States would be exempt from tariffs.
President Trump called it a “beautiful, simple system.”
According to Reuters, White House Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett has said that new tariffs may be determined by the president following an economic study slated to be complete April 1.
“The schedule is that there’s a study coming out on April 1, and after that the president is going to decide what to do about tariff policies for all countries,” he said, per the outlet.
It remains to be seen how China, Mexico and Canada will address the drug crisis in response to this economic move from President Trump.