Trump rates on Mexico and Canada for March 4, while doubled China

By Josh Boak and Fabiola Sanchez, Associated Press

Washington (AP) – President Donald Trump Tax plans rates on Canada and Mexico Starting on Tuesday, in addition to doubling the 10% universal tariff for imports from China.

In a social post of truth, Thursday, Trump said that illicit drugs, such as Fentanil are smuggled in the United States at “unacceptable levels” and that import other countries would collapse from traffic.

“We cannot afford this scourge to continue to harm the US and, therefore, until it stops or is limited, the proposed tariffs scheduled to enter into force at the fourth March will enter into force, as it was scheduled,” wrote the Republican president. “Also, China will be charged an additional 10% rate at this time.”

The perspective of climbing the tariffs has already thrown away The global economy In agitation, consumers expressing fears Aggravated inflation And the car sector suffering whether the two largest trading partners in America in Canada and Mexico are hit by taxes. But Trump also engaged sometimes in aggressive positions just to give the latest bites, beforehand on a 30 -day suspension From the rates in Canada and Mexico, which should initially start in February.

Trump plans to put 25% rates for imports from Mexico and Canada, with a tax less than 10% on Canadian energy products, such as oil and electricity. The movement, obviously, in terms of drug trafficking and immigration, caused Mexico and Canada to respond to their existing efforts to address these issues. Canada created a fentanel tsar, and Mexico sent 10,000 members of the National Guard to its border with the United States.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday that he hopes to talk to Trump after the cabinet meetings that took place in Washington this week. The Secretary for Foreign Affairs in Mexico, Juan Ramón from Fuente, was scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday afternoon.

Trump, “as you know, has his way of communicating,” sheinbaum said. But she said that her government will remain “cool” and optimistic about an agreement that meets to avoid tariffs.

“I hope we will be able to reach an agreement, and on March 4 we can announce something else,” she said.

She said that the Security heads of Mexico are discussing the sharing of information with their American counterparts, which would allow important arrests in the US on the economic front, said the Mexico goal is to protect the free trade pact This was negotiated during the first Trump administration between Mexico and the United States. This 2020 agreement, which included Canada, was an update to the North American Freedom Agreement since 1994.

Asked on Wednesday about the term of the rates, François-Philippe Champagne, the Minister of the Canada Industry, said the Government had a waiting approach and see.

“One thing I learned is to take a step by step,” he said, adding that if Trump will go further, Canada is “prepared and will be a targeted, strategic but firm answer.”

Trump has imposed a 10% rate of China for its role in the manufacture of chemicals used to make fentanil, and this tax will now be doubled, according to its socialization.

On Thursday, China’s trade minister, Wang Wenao, wrote to Jamieson Greer, new -confirmed the representative of American trade, that the differences of trade should be resolved by dialogues and negotiations.

25% rates for Mexico and Canada would be up to a total tax increase in American public from between 120 billion and $ 225 billion annually, according to Jacob Jensen, commercial policy analyst at the American Action Forum, a center-right think tank. Additional rates in China could cost consumers up to $ 25 billion.

The potential for higher prices and a slower increase could create a political shot for Trump, who promised voters at last year’s presidential elections that they could quickly decrease the inflation rate, which skipped During the mandate of Democratic President Joe Biden. But Trump campaign to impose large rates, which he intends to launch on April 2, reset to match the taxes he sets are levied by other countries for American goods.

“The date of the mutual tariff in the second April will remain in full force and effect,” Trump said as part of his new socialization post.

In an interview with News Nation, Kevin Hasset, the director of the National Economic Council of the White House, said that the progress of Mexico and Canada on the Fentanil “was not as impressive as the president hoped.” There are significant differences between Canada and Mexico on the scale of drug smuggling. The US customs agencies confiscated 43 kilograms (19.5 kilograms) of Fentanil on the Canadian border in the last budget year, compared to 21,100 pounds (9,570 kilograms) on the border with Mexican.

Hassett stressed that mutual tariffs will be in addition to those placed on Canada and Mexico.

Trump indicated Wednesday that European countries will also face a 25% rate as part of its mutual tariffs. It also wants separate rates on vehicles, computer chips and pharmaceutical drugs that would be perceived in addition to mutual rates.

The president has already announced that he eliminates exemptions at his 2018 steel and aluminum tariffs, in addition to the planning of taxes for copper imports.

The prospect of a wider commercial conflict if other nations follow their own reprisal rates is already in front of US consumers, it could undermine Trump’s promise to unleash a stronger economic growth.

The conference council reported on Tuesday that its consumers’ reliable index decreased by 7 points to a reading of 98.3. It was the largest monthly decline in August 2021, when inflationary pressures began to reverberate in the United States, because the economy recovered from the coronavirus pandemic. The average 12 -month inflation expectations jumped from 5.2% to 6% in February, the conference council said.

“There has been an increased increase in commercial and tariffs, back to an unseen level of 2019,” said Stephanie Guichard, senior economist at the Conference Council. “Especially, the comments on the current administration and his policies have dominated the answers.”

The S&P 500 stock index has also decreased in the last month, reversing some of the winnings that followed Trump’s presidential victory, which caused investors to assume income tax reductions and less regulation would contribute to growth.

This report contributed the writer of AP Didi Tang and the freelancer Jim Morris. Sanchez reported from Mexico City.

Originally published: February 27, 2025 to 7:20 AM MST