Trump vows day-one tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China
Donald Trump says he will hit China, Mexico and Canada with new tariffs on day one of his presidency, in an effort to force them to crack down on illegal immigration and drug smuggling into the United States.
Trump stated that on his first day in office, he would sign an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada. Additionally, he plans to introduce a 10% tariff on Chinese goods until the Chinese government takes action to halt the smuggling of the synthetic opioid fentanyl into the US.
If enacted, these measures would represent a sharp escalation in trade tensions with three of America’s largest trading partners.
Trump explained that the tariffs on Mexico and Canada would remain until both countries implement measures to combat illegal migration and drug smuggling, particularly fentanyl, across the US border. 'Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute power to resolve this long-standing issue,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. 'It’s time for them to face significant consequences!'
In a separate post, Trump criticized Beijing for not fulfilling alleged commitments to impose the death penalty on individuals involved in fentanyl trafficking.
A spokesperson from the Chinese embassy in Washington rejected Trump’s claims, asserting that China opposes the notion of knowingly allowing fentanyl precursors to enter the US 'Such accusations are inconsistent with facts,' the spokesperson said, adding that 'China believes in mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation. No one benefits from a trade war or tariff war.'
The Biden administration has also urged Beijing to take stronger steps to address the production of fentanyl precursors. According to US officials, fentanyl was responsible for nearly 75,000 American deaths last year.
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