Trump puts Mexico and Canada Tariffs on Wait: NPR

On February 4, 2025By Littum

The flags of Mexico, Canada and the US appear near the ambassador bridge, Monday, February 3, 2025, in Detroit.

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President Trump has agreed to put tariffs on both Canada and Mexico on wait – so far.

Earlier in the day, Trump spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and agreed to put scheduled tariffs on Mexico on wait for a month. The White House confirmed the move.

In one Post on xSheinbaum said, “The tariffs are on break for a month from now.” Sheinbaum said her government had agreed to send 10,000 National Guard troops to the border to prevent drug trafficking, specifically Fentanyl. And the United States will work to stop arms trade to Mexico, she added.

Sostuvimos Una Buena Conversación Con El President Trump Conmucho Respeto a Nuestra Relación y la soberanía; Llegamos A Una Serie de Acuerdos:

1.México Reforzará la Frontera Norte Con 10 Mil Elementos de la Guardia Nacional de Forma Inmediata, Para Evitar El Tráfico de Droas …

– Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudihein) February 3, 2025

Posting on his Truth Social Platform, Trump said the two leaders had a “very friendly conversation” and repeated the troop’s obligation to secure the border with the United States, as Sheinbaum announced.

President Trump imposes 25% duty on most imports from Mexico and Canada. Mexico delivers more than a quarter of the fresh fruits and vegetables in the United States, including avocados popular in the Super Bowl Guacamole.

President Trump says Fentanyl smuggles into the United States is an important reason for introducing customs duties in Canada, China and Mexico. But NPR found that Trump and his team issued false statements about the fentanyl crisis. Canada in particular plays no meaningful role in America's fentanyl overdose epidemic.

A man looks at the electronic board showing the number of Nikkei Aktie average on the Tokyo exchange on a street in central Tokyo on February 3, 2025.

Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau spoke with Trump twice during the day. Trudeau wrote on x Monday afternoon, when Canada had committed more resources to border security and to fight fentanyl trade, the apparent reason for the proposed US tariffs.

Canada had promised retaliation gums with the possibility of an escalating trade war. These will also be paused 30 days.

President Trump confirmed the news in a post On his truth social site . When asked earlier in the day by journalists what Trudeau could do to change his mind, he said he would like to see Canada become the 51st state, which is overwhelmingly contradicted by Canadians.

Over the weekend, Trump had said that an import tax of 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada, along with 10% tariffs on goods from China, would take effect on Tuesday.

According to Karoline Leavitt, spokesman for the White House, Trump also has to talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping over the next 24 hours.

Mexico has warned that a customs war between the two countries would have enormous effects, not only for US consumers but also for US companies producing in Mexico.

For example, the largest exporter in Mexico is the US car company General Motors. Mexico is the # 1 provider of cars and car parts for the United States. It is the largest provider of TV and computer screens, and one in three refrigerators in the United States comes from Mexico.

Panama's Foreign Minister Javier Martinez-Aacha (R) is shaking his hands with US State Secretary Marco Rubio while leaving a meeting in the Panama City presidential palace on Sunday.

Trump said negotiations with Mexico would continue, led on US side of State Secretary Marco Rubio, State Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick.

“I look forward to participating in these negotiations with President Sheinbaum as we try to achieve a ‘agreement’ between our countries,” he said on social media.