President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he will delay tariffs on cars from Canada and Mexico for one month, following a meeting with leaders of major U.S. automakers. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt added that the president is also ‘open to additional exemptions.'”
Trump spoke with the heads of Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis after he imposed a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada on Tuesday.
In a statement shared by Leavitt, Trump said that the one-month exemption would apply to automakers under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA), which Trump signed during his first term. This includes Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, and other companies with production facilities in the three North American countries.
This delay will last until early April, after which Trump has said he will impose tariffs on other countries that have tariffs on American products.
On Tuesday, Trump also added a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, and a 10% tariff on goods from China. He said these measures were in response to the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., though experts note that very little fentanyl comes through the northern border.
Trump’s actions were met with criticism, especially from Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the decision “very dumb.” Both Canada and Mexico warned of retaliation, raising concerns about a potential trade war.
On Wednesday, Trump spoke with Trudeau again, repeating his claim that Canada wasn’t doing enough to stop fentanyl.
This latest change to the tariffs is part of a pattern of shifting decisions by Trump, leaving businesses and foreign leaders uncertain about what to expect. He has previously set and changed deadlines for tariffs, provided unclear guidelines on how countries could avoid them, and adjusted tariffs after they were announced.
