US President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that the 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico will officially take effect on Tuesday, stating that no further negotiations will delay their implementation, reported The Hill.
“The tariffs, they’re all set. They go into effect tomorrow,” Trump declared, adding that there is “no room left for Mexico or Canada” to strike a deal before the deadline at midnight.
At the start of February, Trump agreed to postpone the tariffs for a month following discussions with Canadian and Mexican leaders. During these talks, the parties agreed to take action aimed at curbing the influx of drugs across the border.
On Monday, Trump reiterated his concerns regarding fentanyl, stating that “vast amounts of fentanyl got poured into our country” primarily via Mexico and China. He urged car manufacturers to relocate their production facilities to the United States to avoid being affected by the tariffs.
“So, what they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs,” he said.
In addition to the tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Trump confirmed that reciprocal tariffs would be introduced on April 2, targeting imports from nations that impose duties on American goods.
“Reciprocal tariffs start on April 2. And I wanted to make it April 1, but I didn’t want to do it, I didn’t want to go April Fool’s Day, because that … costs a lot of money … so we’re going April 2,” Trump remarked.