Voice of America
07 Mar 2025, 02:32 GMT+10
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday delayed his new 25% tariffs on most Mexican exports to the United States for four weeks after hearing directly from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on how her government had helped curb the flow of migrants and the deadly opioid fentanyl into the United States.
Trump said on his Truth Social media platform that the reprieve on tariffs would extend to April 2 and not be imposed on Mexican goods imported by U.S. companies that fall under a trade agreement he reached with Mexico and Canada in 2018 during his first term in the White House.
He made no mention of easing the same 25% tariffs on Canadian exports to the U.S., although Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signaled in a television interview Thursday that it was likely. On Wednesday, Trump delayed for a month the new duty on vehicles manufactured in both Mexico and Canada that are being shipped to the United States.
In his Truth Social post, Trump said he eased the tariffs on Mexican goods "as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum. Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl."
He ended the post by saying "Thank you to President Sheinbaum for your hard work and cooperation!"
In a statement on Thursday, Sheinbaum said "We agreed that our work and collaboration have yielded unprecedented results, within the framework of respect for our sovereignties."
Later, at a news conference, she said that during a Thursday phone call, Trump at first wanted his tariffs to stay in place.
But Sheinbaum said she gave him examples of the results she had achieved in the past month, including how Mexico limited the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. and how Mexican authorities had sent 29 top cartel operatives wanted by American officials to the United States. She also dispatched 10,000 troops to Mexico's northern border to try to halt the flow of migrants and drugs into the United States.
"Mexico was treated with a lot of respect, and we reached this deal that benefits both nations," she said, although it remained unclear what might happen next month when the tariff pause ends.
Sheinbaum had threatened retaliatory tariffs against U.S. exports to Mexico, but unlike Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, had held off on announcing them as she pressed for a diplomatic solution.
Trudeau said Thursday he welcomed indications that the U.S. could delay substantial tariffs on Canadian products for a month, but nonetheless said his plan to impose retaliatory tariffs would remain in place for now.
The Canadian leader said he expects Canada and the U.S. to be in a trade war for the foreseeable future after having what he called a colorful but constructive call with Trump this week.
Trudeau said the two sides are "actively engaged in ongoing conversations in trying to make sure these tariffs don't overly harm" certain business sectors and workers. He also reiterated that "we will not be backing down from our response tariffs until such a time as the unjustified American tariffs on Canadian goods are lifted."
Trump touched off the trade war Tuesday by imposing tariffs against Washington's three biggest trading partners, 25% on Mexican and Canadian exports, while doubling an earlier 10% levy on Chinese products to 20%.
All three countries announced they would retaliate with their own extra duties on U.S. goods.
Lutnick said that for companies with products that comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, "you will get a reprieve now."
Trudeau said Lutnick's comments align with conversations Canadian officials have had with the Trump administration.
"But I am going to wait for an official agreement to talk about Canadian response or look at the details of it, but it is a promising sign." Trudeau said. "But I will highlight that it means that the tariffs remain in place and therefore our response will remain in place."
Canada's initial $21 billion worth of retaliatory tariffs have been applied on items such as American orange juice, peanut butter, coffee, appliances, footwear, cosmetics, motorcycles and certain pulp and paper products.
Ottawa plans a further $87 billion in tariffs in three weeks on American products such as electric vehicles, fruits and vegetables, dairy, beef, pork, electronics, steel and trucks.
Trump's tariffs have roiled U.S. stock markets in a broad stock selloff this week as investors worry about higher costs for consumers and businesses.
In a speech Tuesday night to the U.S. Congress, Trump acknowledged the tariff turmoil, saying, "Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again. There will be a little disturbance, but we're OK with that. It won't be much."
Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
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