Trump Kicks Off Tariff Spree Targeting Three Countries
The tariffs are designed to curtail drug and migrant crossings.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
President-elect Donald Trump said Monday he would take executive action to impose a 25-percent tariff on products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico in an effort to try curtail the influx of drugs and migrants crossing the border.
Trump then mentioned that an additional 10-percent tariff would apply to China on top of any others.
“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 on Truth Social. ”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.”
Trump, who campaigned on aggressive tariffs despite many economists' warnings about subsequent price increases for American consumers, would be violating his own 2020 trade agreement if he followed through.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), ensured that goods moving among those countries did so duty-free.
“The USMCA is the largest, most significant, modern, and balanced trade agreement in history. All of our countries will benefit greatly,” Trump said in Jan. 2020.
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Speaking to Laura Ingraham on Fox News Monday night, Trump’s third child and Trump Organization executive vice president, Eric Trump, backed his father’s latest move.
“You want to allow drugs to come through our southern border? We’re going to tariff you. You want to allow them to come through Canada? We’re going to tariff you. China, if you’re going to allow this stuff to get sold in our country...we’re going to add another ten percent,” he said, paraphrasing his father’s post.
“We’re going to cost your countries, your economies, we’re going to cost your businesses billions. Hundreds of billions of dollars,” he continued. “If you think you’re going to poison Americans, it’s not going to happen. You’re not going to destroy our youth. You’re not going to destroy our society. You’re not going to destroy our families.”
Eric added that he “literally cheered out loud” when he first read about his father’s intentions on Truth Social.
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