President-elect Donald Trump promised Monday that one of his first acts as commander-in-chief will be to impose a sweeping 25% tariff on all products imported from Canada and Mexico.
Trump, 78, argued that the duty is necessary to get America’s northern and southern neighbors to crack down on illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
“As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social. “Right now a Caravan coming from Mexico, composed of thousands of people, seems to be unstoppable in its quest to come through our currently Open Border.”
President-elect Donald Trump announced he would impose stiff tariffs on Mexico and Canada when he enters office. AP“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” Trump declared.
The president-elect noted that the tariff will “remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem,” Trump argued. “We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!”
Trump further pledged that he would slap China with an additional 10% tariff — on top of existing ones — for failing to curb illicit fentanyl exports.
“I have had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in particular Fentanyl, being sent into the United States — But to no avail,” he wrote in a separate social media post.
“Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America,” the 45th president declared.
“Representatives of China told me that they would institute their maximum penalty, that of death, for any drug dealers caught doing this but, unfortunately, they never followed through, and drugs are pouring into our Country, mostly through Mexico, at levels never seen before,” Trump continued.
“Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America,” the 45th president declared.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter,” his post concluded.
Migrants walk in a caravan toward the border with the United States, in the municipality of Huixtla, in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, on November 21, 2024. Juan Manuel Blanco/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The border between Canada and the United States in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec, Canada, on November 20, 2024. GRAHAM HUGHES/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockOn the campaign trail, Trump proposed imposing blanket tariffs of 10% to 20% on virtually all imports.
He also floated slapping tariffs higher than 200% on Mexican-made automobiles, explaining that many of the manufacturing plants south of the border are actually owned or backed by China.
Scott Bessent, Trump’s pick to lead the Treasury Department, has praised the incoming president for his stance on tariffs.
“The truth is that tariffs have a long and storied history as both a revenue-raising tool and a way of protecting strategically important industries in the US,” Bessent wrote in a Fox News op-ed earlier this month. “President-elect Trump has added a third leg to the stool: tariffs as a negotiating tool with our trading partners.”
Bessent recently told the Wall Street Journal that enacting Trump’s tariff plan — which could raise federal revenues by as much as $2.7 trillion — will be among his top priorities when he takes over the Treasury Department.
