President-elect Trump has vowed to impose steep tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico to combat illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on any goods coming into the United States from China—over and above any tariffs he has already pledged to impose on Chinese products—as well as a 25 percent tariff on all incoming goods from Canada and Mexico. He cited Beijing’s broken promises to stem the flow of fentanyl, while saying that Canada and Mexico have failed to address the problem of illegal immigration through their borders into the United States.
Trump said in a series of social media posts on Nov. 25 that one of his first actions after being sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2025, would be to sign executive orders imposing the tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as China. In the missives, Trump cited the harmful impact of illegal immigration and drugs on U.S. communities.
“As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” Trump wrote in one of the posts, adding that a migrant caravan consisting of thousands of illegal immigrants is approaching the porous U.S. southern border.
“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 said.
Trump added that the tariffs would stay in effect until both countries take stronger measures to curb illegal drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl, and unauthorized border crossings.
Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, has been linked to around 100,000 deaths annually in the United States, with much of the flow of the deadly drug coming from south of the border. A damning report released earlier this year by the U.S. House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party found that the Chinese regime was facilitating the proliferation of fentanyl in the United States.
By Tom Ozimek
