Trump doesn't change deadline for Canada and Mexico tariffs this weekend

Mr. Trump set a February 1 deadline to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada unless the two countries take action to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and fentanyl into the United States.

Ông Trump không đổi thời hạn áp thuế Canada và Mexico vào cuối tuần này - Ảnh 1. — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt - Photo: REUTERS

On January 28, in the first press conference at the White House, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US President Donald Trump still plans to implement the announcement of imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico on February 1.

At the same time, Ms. Leavitt said the US president is strongly considering imposing new tariffs on China during the same period.

Shortly after taking office last week, Mr. Trump set a February 1 deadline to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada unless the two countries took action to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and fentanyl into the United States.

He also threatened to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, due to the country's role in the fentanyl trade.

“The president has made specific statements about Canada and Mexico when it comes to what he expects on border security. We have seen a historic level of cooperation from Mexico.

But again, as I'm still following, in the direct conversation with the president last night, the February 1 deadline is still in place," Ms. Leavitt said, but did not specify what these countries need to do to avoid tariffs from the US.

On January 26, Mr. Trump forced Colombia to accept an order to deport illegal immigrants to the United States, after threatening Latin America's fourth largest economy with a 25% tax.

However, trade tensions with Mexico, Canada and China have a much larger impact. These three countries account for more than $2.1 trillion in annual imports and exports with the United States.

Mary Lovely, an economist at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said the disruption to trade flows in the North American economy would be devastating, especially for the auto industry, where parts often travel multiple times between the United States, Canada and Mexico before being fully assembled.

Canada and Mexico “have to think that the United States has a lot to lose here too. They are not Colombia,” she added.