Trump now leads trade war against Canada; announces 35 percent tariff

MADRID (EUROPA PRESS).- U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to impose 35 percent tariffs on all imported goods from Canada, starting August 1, a measure he will lift if Canadian companies decide to relocate their manufacturing to the United States.

"Beginning August 1, 2025, we will charge Canada a 35 percent tariff on Canadian products shipped to the United States, separate from all sectoral tariffs," he stated in a letter addressed to the neighboring country's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, which he shared as usual on his Truth Social account.

However, the White House tenant assured in the letter that "there will be no tariffs if Canada or its companies decide to build or manufacture products within the United States," and in this regard, he noted that U.S. authorities will do "everything possible to" authorize "quickly, professionally, and routinely" the transfer of such operations. "In other words, within weeks," he added.

He has also expressed openness to changing the tax – "up or down" – if Ottawa "works with me to stop the flow of fentanyl."

In this regard, he accused the neighboring country's government of retaliating "instead of cooperating" when Washington imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports in early February—as it did with Mexico and 10 percent on those from China—citing the "great threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs."

On the other hand, he justified this measure by the "many tariff and non-tariff policies and trade barriers that cause unsustainable trade deficits against the United States."

"Canada imposes extraordinary tariffs on our dairy farmers, up to 400 percent, and that's assuming our dairy farmers have access to sell their products to the Canadian population," he said.

As on previous occasions, the U.S. president threatened Canadian authorities with adding to the announced 35 percent tariff "whatever amount they decide to increase their tariffs" on U.S. products.