Donald Trump’s Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said on Sunday that US tariffs on Canada and Mexico will come into effect Tuesday, but the president will decide whether to stick to the planned 25% level.
“It’s a fluid situation,” Lutnick told the Fox News Program Sunday morning futures.
“We’re set to have tariffs in Mexico and Canada on Tuesday. What exactly are they, we’re going to leave it for the president and his team to negotiate.”
Lutnick’s comments are the first indication from the Trump administration, and it may not impose a 25% tariff that is completely threatened by all goods from Mexico and non-energy imports from Canada.
He said the two countries “doed a reasonable job” to secure a border with the US, but he maintained that the deadly drug fentanyl continues to flow into the country.
Trump was confused last week when he mentioned a possible April 2 deadline in relation to tariffs in Canada and Mexico. However, he later reconfirmed the deadline on Tuesday, saying he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese products that day, effectively double the 10% duties imposed on February 4th.
Lutonic said Trump is expected to raise tariffs in China on Tuesday, unless the country ends fentanyl trafficking.
