Donald Trump
Donald TrumpREUTERS/Carlos Barria

US President Donald Trump on Saturday signed off on a new wave of tariffs targeting imports from Mexico, Canada, and China, fulfilling a long-standing economic pledge, CNN reported.

The administration says the tariffs are a necessary measure to curb the influx of drugs and undocumented immigrants into the US.

As Trump has reiterated in recent months, the new tariffs impose a 25% duty on all imports from Mexico, most Canadian goods, and a 10% tariff on imports from China.

While administration officials maintained that the goal is to curb fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration, they did not provide specific criteria for when the tariffs might be lifted—beyond the reduction of those issues.

One notable exception in the policy is a reduced tariff rate of 10% on Canadian energy products, which include oil, electricity, and natural gas—resources heavily relied upon by American consumers. The measure is expected to increase energy costs once the tariffs take effect.

In enacting the policy, Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), declaring a national economic emergency to justify the restrictions. The tariffs are set to be implemented on Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. ET.

“Today, I have implemented a 25% Tariff on Imports from Mexico and Canada (10% on Canadian Energy), and a 10% additional Tariff on China,” Trump stated in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday. “This was done through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) because of the major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs killing our Citizens, including fentanyl. We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously warned that his country would respond “forcefully and swiftly” if tariffs were imposed. Canadian trade representatives engaged with US officials as recently as Friday in an attempt to avert the measure.