WORLD NEWS – Tariffs on Canada and Mexico start on Tuesday, 10% tariffs on China double

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

President Trump has planned to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico beginning Tuesday. In addition to this, he will be doubling the 10% universal tariff on imports from China. In a post to the social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday Trump claimed that illicit drugs such as fentanyl are being smuggled into The United States at high levels. They also claimed that import taxes would force other countries to crack down on the trafficking. Trump took to social media saying, “We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled,” the Republican president wrote. “China will likewise be charged an additional 10% tariff on that date.” 

The use of tariffs has escalated significantly. This has already thrown the global economy into turmoil with many consumers facing fears about price increases and inflation skyrocketing. These fears have become especially important in the auto sector. If America’s two largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, are hit with intense amounts of tariffs and harsher taxes different sectors will also suffer. Despite this Trump has engaged in aggressive posturing only to give last-minute reprieves previously agreeing to a 30-day suspension of the Canada and Mexico tariffs that were initially supposed to begin in February. Trump intends to put 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, with a lower 10% tax being placed on Canadian products like oil and energy. The move also addresses drug trafficking and immigration. This has led Mexico and Canada to respond by emphasizing their own efforts to address this issue.