President Donald Trump signed an order Saturday to impose tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. from China, Canada and Mexico, drawing a swift response from leaders of those countries.
Trump released a statement about the move on social media, saying, “Today, I have implemented a 25% Tariff on Imports from Mexico and Canada (10% on Canadian Energy), and a 10% additional Tariff on China. 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. I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it.”
In response to news about the tariffs, China’s commerce ministry said the country would file a case against the United States with the World Trade Organization and said it would implement countermeasures, according to The New York Times.
Leaders of both Canada and Mexico, the United States’ neighbors, also swiftly responded to the news.
Prime Minister Trudeau responds to news of tariffs
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the news of the tariffs at a press conference Saturday.
“I think Canadians are a little perplexed as to why our closest friends and neighbors are choosing to target us,” he said, adding he thinks the Canada-U.S. partnership is “the most successful partnership the world has ever seen.”
He said Canada would retaliate with tariffs against American goods starting on Tuesday, by imposing a 25% tariff on $155 billion worth of American goods, according to National Post.
“I think Canadians understand that we need to respond to this,” he said. He added that he wasn’t looking to escalate the situation, but felt he needed to stand up for Canadians and Canadian jobs.
Trudeau said he shares Trump’s concerns about fentanyl and said Canada is willing to do more to combat drug trafficking, but said that levying tariffs was not the way to save lives.
He said he has had “productive” conversations with Trump, but hasn’t spoken to him recently.

Mexican President Sheinbaum responds to Trump’s tariffs
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said Saturday her country would also levy tariffs on American goods in response to Trump’s decision to add tariffs to goods crossing the Mexico-U.S. border.
In a post on X written in Spanish, Sheinbaum defended her country’s response to the fentanyl crisis and to criminal activity by cartels.
She said her government has seized more than 40 tons of drugs and arrested more than ten thousand people linked to drug trafficking.
In response to the tariffs, Sheinbaum said she directed her Secretary of Economy to implement tariff and non-tariff actions in response to Trump’s decision.