Trump Delays Some Mexican, Canadian Tariffs After Talk With Sheinbaum

In a move that one Democratic lawmaker said would further harm the United States' "credibility and our economy," U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday postponed tariffs on certain Canadian and Mexican imports after a discussion with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Trump had imposed 25% tariffs on the countries' imports on Tuesday, saying the levies were aimed at pressuring Canada and Mexico to take more action to stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States.

Sheinbaum, who had threatened to impose tariffs in retaliation, said in a press conference that she convinced Trump to delay the tariffs on products traded under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) until April 2.

The Mexican leader said she had sent Trump U.S. Customs and Border Protection data showing that fentanyl trafficking has already dropped significantly in recent months, with seizures of the drug decreasing by 40% over the past month.

Sheinbaum said she asked Trump, "How can we continue cooperating, collaborating when this hurts the people of Mexico?"

"It was simply: 'Understand me. The most important thing is my people,'" she said Thursday. "'And I need to continue collaborating and cooperating with you, but in a situation of equality.'"

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, noted that only a very small amount of fentanyl enters the U.S. from Canada.

Trump did not make a public statement about delaying the Canadian tariffs on Thursday, but included them in an executive order he signed postponing them.

The president also delayed 25% tariffs on auto industry imports on Wednesday after car manufacturers said the levies would hit them hard financially.

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said businesses across the U.S. "are delaying decisions, investments, and hiring, because they don't know what Trump will do."

"Everything Trump does on trade maximizes chaos and uncertainty," said Beyer. "Keeping his tariffs in place will cost families up to $2,000, but imposing and lifting them over and over again also has a cost."

With Trump's delay only applying to goods traded under USMCA, the White House said 62% of imports from Canada and 50% of those Mexico will still face the tariffs that were imposed this week. Experts have stressed that these costs will be passed on to consumers.

Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that the country expects "to be in a trade war that was launched by the United States for the foreseeable future."