Canada Announces Tariffs on the U.S., Trudeau Plans to Talk with Trump

On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau held a press conference regarding the US tariffs. In addition to announcing retaliatory tariffs on American goods, he also mentioned plans to have a dialogue with US President Trump in the coming days.

Trudeau stated that he had reached out to Donald Trump in the past few days and anticipated having a conversation with him in the “coming days.”

President Trump imposed varying tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico, and China on Tuesday due to their failure to take sufficient measures to prevent deadly fentanyl opioids and precursor chemicals from entering the United States. Most Canadian imports will face a 25% tariff, excluding energy products, which will be subject to a 10% tariff.

Trudeau emphasized at the press conference, “It is very clear that in taking action against fentanyl, we are taking all necessary measures not only for the US but also for the Canadian people to combat the scourge of illegal fentanyl.”

During the press conference, Trudeau announced the imposition of tariffs on American goods in response to the US tariffs on Canadian products.

He stated that Canada will impose a 25% tariff on $155 billion worth of US goods, with an immediate levy on $30 billion worth of American goods, while the remaining $125 billion worth of goods will face tariffs within 21 days.

“Our tariffs will remain in place until the US lifts theirs, not a moment sooner,” he said.

Trudeau also mentioned that Canada plans to challenge the US tariffs by initiating dispute settlement proceedings with the World Trade Organization.

“We will fight, and we will prevail,” he said, asserting that the US tariffs constitute a trade war initiated by the Trump administration against Canada.

However, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick dismissed the notion that the US tariffs were part of a trade war during an interview with CNBC on Tuesday.

“This is not a trade war. This is a drug war,” he stated. “If they can stop the flow of fentanyl and demonstrate to President Trump that they can stop it, then the President can certainly remove these tariffs.”