Trump announces a 35% tariff on Canadian imports starting in August
The president says it will not apply to them if Canadian companies decide to move manufacturing to the United States.
BarcelonaUS President Donald Trump announced this Thursday the imposition of 35% tariffs on all imported goods from Canada, effective August 1, a measure that will be lifted if Canadian companies decide to relocate their manufacturing to the United States. "Beginning August 1, 2025, we will charge a 35% tariff in Canada on your products shipped to the United States, independent of all sectoral tariffs," he stated in a letter addressed to the country's Prime Minister, Mark Carney. As usual, he posted the letter on his Truth Social account.
However, Trump assured that "there will be no tariffs if Canada or Canadian companies choose to build or manufacture products within the United States." In this regard, he noted that US authorities will do "everything possible" to "quickly, professionally, and routinely" authorize the relocation of these companies. "In other words, within weeks," he added.
He has also expressed openness to modifying the tax—"up or down"—if Ottawa "works with me to stop the flow of fentanyl." He has accused the Canadian government of retaliating "rather than collaborating" when Washington imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian imports in early February—as it did with Mexico and China—citing the "great threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs."
Trump reiterated that this measure is a response to the "many tariff and non-tariff policies and trade barriers that cause unsustainable trade deficits against the United States." "Canada is applying extraordinary tariffs of up to 400% to our dairy producers," he asserted. As on previous occasions, he has threatened Canadian authorities with adding the announced 35% tariff to any tariff increases on US products they introduce in response to his measure.
Defense of national companies
In response to Trump, the Canadian prime minister has assured that he will continue to "steadfastly" defend domestic workers and businesses as they work toward the new August 1st deadline. He also defended that his government has made "vital progress" in stopping fentanyl on the continent, as he defended in a message on his X social media account.