President Donald Trump threatened steep tariffs against Mexico, Canada, and China. This didn’t happen immediately, but the president’s press secretary confirmed that he has kept his promise.
During a White House briefing with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, a member of the press asked when Trump’s impending tariffs would be imposed. Reuters speculated that Trump will be implementing these tariffs against Mexico and Canada by March. Surprisingly, Leavitt denied this—the tariffs were bound to happen at a much earlier deadline.
“The President will be implementing tomorrow a 25% tariff on Mexico, a 25% tariff on Canada, and a 10% tariff on China.” Leavitt explained that these sanctions were because these three countries supposedly allowed fentanyl distribution into the United States. When asked to clarify if these are blanket tariffs, Leavitt left the press in suspense. The tariffs have been in effect since February 1, 2025, and they cover all imports from Canada, China, and Mexico. Even oil is not spared from these tariffs.
In reaction to this, several social media users were angry and frustrated. One X user blamed those who voted for President Trump for making basic necessities unaffordable. Another wrote in exasperation, “MAGA wanted price increases. Thanks, MAGA… You guys are f— swell.” Regardless, this seems to be a sacrifice MAGA is satisfied with. They’d been warned by Elon Musk to brace for hardship during the campaign. Several economists had also put forth their analysis of the tariffs to voters. Neither of these warnings seemingly moved the needle.
Retaliatory tariffs underway
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that they will be imposing a 25% tariff against several imports from the United States, totaling up to $155 billion worth of US goods. These tariffs include beer, wine, and bourbon. Interestingly, fruits and fruit juices are also taking a hit from these tariffs, which may harm Trump’s home state of Florida.
Canada isn’t the only one with a plan. China has promised to retaliate and condemned Trump’s decision. Meanwhile, Mexico also vowed to respond with tariffs of their own. Like Canada, Mexico is also considering non-tariff measures as a response. Hard times are underway.
Published: Feb 3, 2025 08:32 am