TMTPOST -- U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to delay implementation of additional tariffs on Mexico and Canada after his phone calls with leaders of these neighbour countries on Monday. In the meantime, the president plans to talk with another major trade partner China about the looming extra tariffs.
In a post on Monday on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said he and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to immediately pause the anticipated U.S. tariffs for one month after both had a "very friendly conversation", wherein Sheinbaum agreed to immediately supply 10,000 Mexican Soldiers on the border to stop the flow of fentanyl, and illegal migrants into the United States.
During the one-month period, the Trump administration and the Mexican government will have negotiations headed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and high-level Mexican officials, Trump said in the post, adding that the two countries attempt to achieve a deal.
Sheinbaum posted on social media X following her call with Trump as well, stating new U.S. tariffs would be paused for one month. Mexico will deploy 10,000 National Guard members to its northern border to combat drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl, and in return, the U.S. has committed to working on stopping the flow of high-powered weapons into Mexico, according to Sheinbaum ’ s post. The president then confirmed at her press conference that the U.S. and Mexico will now engage in high-level discussions on security, trade, and migration. "I am sure that in this month, we can deliver results," said Sheinbaum, showing her confidence on the bilateral agreement.
Later Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on the X platform the proposed U.S. tariffs would be paused for at least 30 days as a result of "a good with President Trump." The Canadian government will implement a 1.3 billion-Candian dollar border plan to reinforce the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhance coordination with our American partners, and increase resources to stop the flow of fentanyl.
Trudeau said Canada will appoint a Fentanyl Czar, list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, and launch a Canada- U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. The prime minister also signed a a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with 200 million Canadian dollars.
Trump followed suit on Truth Social shortly after Trudeau ’ s post, writing that Canada tariffs announced recently will be paused for a 30 day period "to see whether or not a final Economic deal with Canada can be structured. FAIRNESS FOR ALL!" Listing the plans Trudeau ’ s post revealed, Trump said Canada "has agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border, and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like Fentanyl that have been pouring into our Country, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, while destroying their families and communities all across our Country."
Trump told reporter on Monday that talks with China would take place "probably over the next 24 hours." "If we can ’ t make a deal with China, then the tariffs will be very, very substantial," Trump said. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later told Fox News that there ’ s a plan for Trump to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping about "illegal Chinese fentanyl that is killing tens of thousands of Americans every single year."
Trump on Saturday signed an order to impose a 25% additional tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico and a 10% additional tariff on imports from China. In addition, the administration will imposed a 10% tariff on energy products from Canada. All new tariffs but those on energy products were planned to take into effect on February 4, or Tuesday. "The orders make clear that the flow of contraband drugs like fentanyl to the United States, through illicit distribution networks, has created a national emergency, including a public health crisis." White House said in a fact sheet about the orders. "Chinese officials have failed to take the actions necessary to stem the flow of precursor chemicals to known criminal cartels and shut down money laundering by transnational criminal organizations."
White House claimed the government of Mexico has afforded safe havens for the cartels to engage in the manufacturing and transportation of dangerous narcotics, which collectively have led to the overdose deaths of hundreds of thousands of American victims. There is also a growing presence of Mexican cartels operating fentanyl and nitazene synthesis labs in Canada, White House said.
China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the U.S. decision to impose an additional 10-percent tariff on goods imported from China, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce of China ( MOFCOM ) said in a statement on Sunday.
China will file a complaint at the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) and take corresponding countermeasures to firmly safeguard its rights and interests, the spokesperson said. China urges the U.S. side to view and address its fentanyl and related issues objectively and rationally, rather than frequently using tariffs to threaten other countries, according to the spokesperson.
A statement on the website of Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated China ’ s position on new tariffs. Trade and tariff wars have no winners, and the new move cannot solve the U.S.'s problems at home and more importantly, does not benefit either side, still less the world, said a Spokesperson with the ministry in the statement. Calling the U.S. tariff hikes severely violate WTO rules, the spokesperson urged the U.S. to correct its wrongdoings, maintain the hard-won positive dynamics in the counternarcotics cooperation, and promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relationship.
