Trump Says He ‘Thinks’ 25% Tariffs on Mexico, Canada to Start Feb. 1

January 20, 2025 by Mara Lee | Bulletin

President Donald Trump told reporters that his administration is still thinking of imposing 25% tariffs on both Mexican and Canadian goods “because they’re allowing vast numbers of people — Canada’s a very bad abuser also — vast numbers of people to come in, and fentanyl to come in. I think we’ll do it February 1st.”

He was less definitive on his plans for hiking tariffs on China. He earlier had said a 10% tariff would be added to Chinese goods over fentanyl. On Jan. 20, as he signed an executive order delaying a shutdown of TikTok, he said the 10% tariff threat “was only because of fentanyl,” and said he had other concerns too, such as China controlling the Panama Canal. (China does not control the Panama Canal, but it does own ports near its entrance.)

But he said he would not be putting 60% tariffs on goods from China — at least not unless he needed them to pressure China to allow a sale of TikTok. He said he wanted the U.S. government to get half the value of TikTok, and said that if China wouldn’t approve a sale, he’d consider that “a hostile act,” and he might impose tariffs in response. “I’m not saying I would, but you could totally do that,” he added. He said if he put 20, 30, 40, 50, even 100% tariffs on China, it would then approve a divestiture.

When asked if he would put a 10% tariff on all imports, he replied, “I may, but we’re not ready for that yet.”group said.

Reproduced by permission of International Trade Today, internationaltradetoday.com, Copyright © 2025 by Warren Communications News, Inc.