Trump to Hit Canada With 35% Tariff Over Fentanyl Concerns — Threatens More If “Relationship Sours”

In a move that stunned international observers, former President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his administration will impose a sweeping 35% tariff on all Canadian goods, starting next month.

Trump revealed the news via a letter he posted publicly to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The letter is part of a broader tariff campaign, with similar warnings issued to over a dozen nations this week. The new measures are scheduled to take effect on August 1, following a previously announced 90-day delay.

In the letter, Trump accused Canada of not doing enough to help stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States a claim experts say is puzzling, given that most fentanyl enters the U.S. through the southern border, not the north. Nevertheless, Trump made his threat clear:

“If Canada works with me to stop the flow of Fentanyl, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter,” Trump wrote. “These Tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country.”

Under Trump’s previous term, the U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, which was later scaled back for items protected under the 2020 USMCA trade deal. It’s currently unclear whether those exemptions will hold under the new tariff order.

Trump has increasingly used Canada as a political punching bag in recent months, bizarrely stating that “the U.S. doesn’t need Canadian goods” and even floating the idea of annexing Canada as the 51st state. Those remarks drew sharp rebuke from Canadian officials, including Carney, who reiterated that Canada and the U.S. “work better as partners, not adversaries.”

With tensions rising and the August 1 deadline looming, all eyes are now on whether this is another Trump-style bluff or the beginning of a major disruption in U.S. Canada trade.

Also Read: Stop Blaming and Fix What You Got to Fix Chris Christie Publicly Challenges Trump’s Excuses

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