Trump confirms tariffs for Mexico, Canada on March 4, China to get extra 10%

In a post on Truth Social, the president stated that drugs, particularly the deadly opioid fentanyl, were still entering the US at “very high and unacceptable levels.”

“We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Trump had previously called for imposing 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, but he delayed the policy by one month after speaking to the leaders of the two nations.

He in the post on Thursday also added, “China will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date. The April Second Reciprocal Tariff date will remain in full force and effect.”

The statement clarified earlier confusion over the deadline for tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, which Trump has linked to the fentanyl crisis and US border security. During his first cabinet meeting on Wednesday, his remarks suggested a possible one-month delay until 4 April.

Trump administration officials later explained that the April deadline referred to Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs”—import duties designed to counteract trade restrictions imposed by other countries. His trade advisers argue that European nations’ value-added tax systems function as de facto tariffs.

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told CNBC that Trump would determine additional tariff measures after a study is completed on 1 April. “The schedule is that there’s a study coming out on April 1, and after that, the president is going to decide what to do about tariff policies for all countries,” he said, specifically mentioning Mexico and Canada.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard is set to meet with newly confirmed US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday in an effort to prevent the tariffs from being implemented.

In Canada, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty stated on Thursday that Canada’s progress in strengthening border security and combating drug smuggling should be sufficient to address US concerns, new agency Reuters reported.

China, in a letter to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, urged the US to resolve trade disputes through “equal dialogue and consultation.”