President-elect Donald Trump announced planned tariffs on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada over drug trafficking.
Trump targeted Mexico and Canada for their failure to halt illegal migration and drug trafficking in a Truth Social post while slamming China for failing to properly crack down on drug production and trafficking in another.
“Right now a Caravan coming from Mexico, composed of thousands of people, seems to be unstoppable in its quest to come through our currently Open Border,” Trump said.
“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” he continued. “This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
The president-elect said that the two countries have “the absolute right and power” to “easily” stop illegal migration and drug trafficking into the U.S.
“We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!” he said.
In the other post, he chastised China for failing to pull through on their end of the bargain regarding fentanyl production and trafficking.
“Representatives of China told me that they would institute their maximum penalty, that of death, for any drug dealers caught doing this but, unfortunately, they never followed through, and drugs are pouring into our Country, mostly through Mexico, at levels never seen before,” Trump said. “Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America.”
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Trump has usually pitched tariffs as necessary to combat predatory economic practices by foreign governments and boost domestic manufacturing. This is one of the first cases where he explicitly pledged a harsh tariff as a punishment for political actions by foreign governments.
The promised tariffs on Monday are in addition to much harsher tariffs promised compared to his first term. A Wall Street Journal analysis of his tariff pledges said that it would “radically” change the global trading system, though how is uncertain.
