U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 35% tariff on Canadian goods starting August 1, escalating trade tensions just days before a key self-imposed deadline for renegotiating a bilateral trade agreement.
The declaration came via a letter posted on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, in which he also threatened to extend blanket tariffs of 15 percent or 20 percent on other major trade partners if new deals are not reached swiftly.
The move has drawn swift reaction from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Canada “will continue to protect Canadian workers and businesses” as talks continue ahead of the revised August deadline.
This latest development follows an earlier 25 percent blanket tariff already imposed on certain Canadian exports, alongside existing U.S. levies on steel, aluminium, and automobile parts measures that have significantly impacted Canada’s economy.
