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U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Monday.Julia Demaree Nikhinson/The Associated Press
U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a sweeping ban on imports of Canadian alcohol, motorcycles and some dairy products to the U.S. as he escalates his trade war.
On the same day that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s retaliatory tariffs on $28-billion of U.S. goods took effect, Mr. Trump fired back with expanded trade barriers.
One decree issued by Mr. Trump on Tuesday evening bans whey protein concentrates, molasses, and motorcycles and mopeds with engines over 800 cc. Another bans a wide range of Canadian alcohol products, including beer sold in cans and bottles, rye whisky and many types of wine.
Mr. Trump is also imposing new tariffs of 50 per cent on a wide range of other goods, including cheeses, animal hides, motorboats, paper products, aluminum products, furniture, and lamps.
He is also removing tariffs from a handful of Canadian products, such as cement, toilet paper and some specific electronic products.
Most of the new bans and tariffs are set to take effect on Sept. 29.
Canada struck back at U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday with tariffs on about $28-billion worth of U.S. goods, in response to the latest round of tariffs on Canada. So far, Mr. Trump’s pressure has backfired, strengthening support for Mr. Carney rather than forcing concessions.
The Associated Press
The President has repeatedly complained about Canada’s dairy supply management system as well as provincial bans on U.S. alcohol imports, imposed in retaliation against Mr. Trump’s tariffs and annexation threats last year.
Earlier in the day, the President said he would order the General Services Administration – the agency that provides IT services and office supplies to U.S. government offices – to eliminate all Canadian-produced goods.
“Canada gets broad access into the massive American Government Procurement Market, including those of our States. That is not reciprocity, it is a Canadian Trade Scam. From now on, NO RECIPROCITY – NO ACCESS!” Mr. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that decried Canadian provinces’ Buy Canadian procurement policies.
Mr. Trump started his trade war with Canada last year as part of a broader global push to put tariffs on nearly every country in the world. The President started with sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and other products. Last month, he added tariffs on a wide range of other goods, which prompted Mr. Carney’s retaliatory tariffs that took effect on Tuesday. Mr. Trump is now retaliating against the retaliation.
Unlike most major U.S. trading partners, which have signed lopsided deals with Mr. Trump, Canada has held out. The two countries came close last month but Mr. Carney pulled the plug on negotiations at the last minute, saying that the U.S. was demanding too much in exchange for reducing its tariffs.