Oh wow, 400% tariffs now?
Yeah I was just about to post about dear leader’s 400% claim.
AI/Grok summary;
- Former President Donald Trump claimed that Canada imposes tariffs as high as 400% on U.S. dairy products.
- This claim is misleading and exaggerated based on available evidence.
- Canada does have high tariffs on certain U.S. dairy products under its supply management system, but these tariffs are not as high as 400%. According to the Canadian tariff schedule, the highest tariffs on dairy products, such as milk-based fats and oils, reach up to 313.5% for imports exceeding specific quotas set under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). For example, tariffs on milk can reach 241%, butter up to 298.5%, and cheese up to 245.5% when exports exceed these quotas. However, no evidence supports a 400% tariff rate on any U.S. dairy product.
- Moreover, these high tariffs only apply if U.S. dairy exports exceed the tariff-free quotas established under the USMCA, which was negotiated during Trump’s first term.
- The U.S. dairy industry has not reached these quota limits in any category, meaning the high tariffs have not been applied in practice.
- Below the quota thresholds, U.S. dairy exports to Canada face zero or minimal tariffs.
- Trump’s claim also omits that the U.S. has a similar system of tariff-rate quotas for dairy, with over-quota tariffs on Canadian imports ranging from 24% to 39% for products like butter.
- Additionally, his assertion that Canada raised tariffs under the Biden administration is false; tariff rates have remained consistent since the USMCA was implemented in 2020.
- While Trump’s broader point about Canada’s high dairy tariffs reflects a real trade issue, the specific 400% figure is inaccurate, and the claim ignores the context of quotas and the USMCA framework. Posts on X also reflect skepticism about the 400% figure, with users pointing out its inaccuracy and noting that Trump negotiated the current trade deal.
- In summary, Trump’s claim of a 400% tariff is not supported by evidence, as the highest tariffs peak at 313.5%, and these are not currently applied due to unmet quotas.
- His statement exaggerates the issue and lacks critical context about the trade agreement he signed.