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Trump pauses tariffs on Canada, Mexico for a month

CGTN

 , Updated 13:53, 04-Feb-2025
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving back at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., February 2, 2025. /VCG
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving back at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., February 2, 2025. /VCG

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving back at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., February 2, 2025. /VCG

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the tariffs on Canada announced on Saturday "will be paused for a 30-day period" to assess whether a final economic deal with Canada can be structured.

"Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like fentanyl," Trump said in a post on the social media platform Truth Social.

In a post on X earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he "just had a good call with President Trump," noting that "proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together."

"Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan – reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhancing coordination with our American partners, and increasing resources to stop the flow of fentanyl. Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border," Trudeau said.

"In addition, Canada is making new commitments to appoint a fentanyl czar, list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 surveillance at the border, and launch a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl, and we will be backing it with $200 million," Trudeau continued.

Trump said in his post that he is "very pleased with this initial outcome" and that the tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for 30 days to allow further negotiations.

Trump signed executive orders on Saturday imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10-percent tariff hike on imports from China, drawing widespread opposition and immediate retaliations.

The tariff order on Canada includes a 25-percent tariff on all imports and a 10-percent tariff on energy products. Canada immediately hit back with 25 percent tariffs on 155 billion Canadian dollars ($107 billion) worth of American goods.

Earlier on Monday, Trump said he had a "very friendly conversation" with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and the two sides agreed to "immediately pause" the anticipated tariffs for one month and continue negotiations.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum discusses the one-month pause on U.S. tariffs imposed on Mexico during a briefing in Mexico City, Mexico, February 2, 2025. /VCG
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum discusses the one-month pause on U.S. tariffs imposed on Mexico during a briefing in Mexico City, Mexico, February 2, 2025. /VCG

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum discusses the one-month pause on U.S. tariffs imposed on Mexico during a briefing in Mexico City, Mexico, February 2, 2025. /VCG

Sheinbaum said on Monday that she had reached an agreement with Trump to put a month-long "pause" on imposing a 25-percent tariff on Mexican imports and to immediately reinforce security along the 3,200-km U.S.-Mexico border to stem drug trafficking.

The two leaders reached a series of agreements during a telephone conversation on Monday morning, Sheinbaum said on social platform X.

During the discussion, Trump pledged to curb the smuggling of high-powered weapons into Mexico, which the previous Mexican government had demanded to combat the rise in violence from organized crime.

"We had a good conversation with President Trump with great respect for our relationship and sovereignty," Sheinbaum said, adding that teams from both countries will work together on security and trade issues.

Speaking to reporters at the National Palace in Mexico City, Sheinbaum described their conversation as productive and cordial, with Trump stressing concerns over the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico.

"I told him that it was not really a deficit, that we had a trade agreement ... and that this was the result of being trade partners," she said.

Trump later confirmed the decision to put off the tariff on Mexican goods for a month while high-level negotiations continue.

On Truth Social, Trump said he had a "very friendly" conversation with Sheinbaum, in which she agreed to immediately deploy 10,000 Mexican soldiers to the border between the two countries.

The troops aim to curb fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration into the United States, Trump said.

(With input from Xinhua)

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