Washington: US President Donald Trump announced that a 35 per cent tariff will be placed on all imports from Canada beginning August 1, citing what he described as Canada’s failure to curb the flow of fentanyl into the United States sufficiently.
In a letter addressed to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and shared via his social media platform, Trump said the tariff could increase further if Canada responds with retaliatory measures.
He also left the door open for negotiation, stating, “If Canada works with me to stop the flow of fentanyl, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter.” He added that the tariffs could be revised upward or downward depending on the evolving relationship between the two countries.
The president’s remarks come despite evidence showing that the vast majority of fentanyl trafficked into the United States enters through the southern border with Mexico, not the northern border with Canada.
Trump has broadened his trade war in recent days, setting new tariffs on a number of countries. In addition to Canada, Trump has recently imposed new tariffs on Japan and South Korea, and announced a 50 per cent tariff on imported copper.
In a separate interview with NBC News published Thursday, Trump suggested more countries could soon face blanket tariffs ranging from 15 to 20 per cent, depending on their trade practices and cooperation on security-related matters.
The United States had previously levied a 25 per cent tariff on various Canadian goods, though many items were later exempted under the terms of the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). It remains unclear whether those exemptions will remain in effect when the new tariffs begin.
Prime Minister Carney has not yet issued a formal response.
(IANS)
