President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada goods that will take effect at the deadline of April 4, along with the announcement of an additional 10% tax on goods imported from China because fentanyl is still flooding into the US from these countries.
Speaking to reporters at the Department of Labor on February 27, Mr. Trump noted that the new tax rate on imports from China will be applied in combination with the 10% tax rate applied on February 4, resulting in a cumulative tax rate of 20%.
On the social network Truth Social, Mr. Trump said that the additional 10% tax on Chinese goods will take effect from March 4.
President Trump said that the additional tariffs on China, keeping the deadline for importing tariffs on January 4 for Canadian and Mexican goods, were due to his administration's assessment of not making enough progress in limiting fentanyl flows into the US.
"discussions are ongoing with China, Mexico and Canada. We have resolved the issue of migration well, but there are still concerns about the death of fentanyl," a White House official told Reuters.
Sources revealed that Mexico will extradite drug lord Rafael Cara Quintero to the US. Rafael Cara Quintero was convicted in 1985 for killing a drug handle handle handle handle worker but was released in 2013 and continued drug trafficking.
A White House official said that Customs and Border Guard agents seized 450 kg of fentanyl at the southwestern border in January 2025, down 50.5% from last year, but the amount of the drug was still enough to kill millions of lives in the US.
So far, China has imposed a 10% retaliatory tax on US energy and agricultural equipment. Reuters said that Beijing could react more strongly if the new tariffs reach 20% on all Chinese goods imported into the US. Many Chinese imports have already been subject to tariffs of up to 25% due to trade actions during President Trump's first term.
In a letter to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, China said the two countries should address concerns in the economic and trade sectors through dialogue and equal consultation.
Meanwhile, Canadian and Mexican officials met with his counterparts in the Trump administration in Washington on February 27 and 28 to prevent a tax blow.
Mexico's Minister of Economy Marcelo Ebrard met with Trade Representative Greer on February 27 and met with Minister of Commerce Howard Lutnick on March 28.
In Canada, Public Security Minister David Mc Guinty said that the progress Canada has made in tightening security along the border with the US and combating drug smuggling will satisfy the Trump administration.
