Donald Trump has announced that his administration could impose reciprocal tariffs on Canadian dairy and lumber products as early as Friday if Canada does not drop it. In a press conference at the Oval Office, the president called out the neighbouring country for “ripping” America off with “tremendously high” tariffs, the New York Post reported.
Donald Trump warns Canada of new reciprocal tariffs on dairy and lumber products
“Canada has been ripping us off for years on tariffs for lumber and for dairy products, 250%,” Trump said on Friday. “Nobody ever talks about that, 250% tariff, which is taking advantage of our farmers. So that’s not going to happen anymore.”
The president warned that if Canada does not cut its rates, the US will impose the same tariff on their products. “They’ll be met with the exact same tariff unless they drop it, and that’s what reciprocal means,” Trump said.
“And we may do it as early as today, or we’ll wait till Monday or Tuesday, but that’s what we’re going to do,” the commander-in-chief declared. “We’re going to charge the same thing. It’s not fair,” he added, according to the outlet.
{{/usCountry}}“And we may do it as early as today, or we’ll wait till Monday or Tuesday, but that’s what we’re going to do,” the commander-in-chief declared. “We’re going to charge the same thing. It’s not fair,” he added, according to the outlet.
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Trump argued that “they make it impossible for us to sell lumber or dairy products into Canada,” adding that “our numbers are a tiny fraction of that. Almost nonexistent.”
The president went on to say that the US government would free up protected forests “on an emergency basis” to allow more trees to be cut down for a domestic lumber supply, as Canada currently satisfies about 25% of America's lumber demand, per the outlet.