US tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China take effect, opening door to painful trade war

[Loulit01]

President Donald Trump’s blanket 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada took effect on Tuesday, an extraordinary action aimed at bringing America’s top trading partners to heel. But it threatens to weaken the North American economy, including that of the United States, at a time of significant stress.

Trump also doubled the tariff on all Chinese imports to 20% from 10%. Those duties sit atop existing tariffs on hundreds of billions in Chinese goods.

“While President Trump gave both Canada and Mexico ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country, they have failed to adequately address the situation,” according to a statement released by the White House shortly before the tariffs took effect.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/04/economy/trade-mexico-canada-china-tariffs-trump-hnk-intl/index.html

Worst president ever.

Happy MAGA.

 

[PoS]

Awesome stuff! Its time for America to win against these rogue nations. The USD is strengthening, which means I am getting richer! Go Trump!

 

[Nickyjo]

Awesome stuff! Its time for America to win against these rogue nations. The USD is strengthening, which means I am getting richer! Go Trump!

True, people always think of Canada and Mexico as rogue nations.

 

[Slartibartfast]

True, people always think of Canada and Mexico rogue nations.

The only thing rogue about Canada is that is where the assassins creed line of video games was made.

Hiring a firm like KPMG to figure out where waste is would have yielded better and more professional results. Probably for cheaper costs too.

 

[RedFishBlueFish]

President Donald Trump’s blanket 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada took effect on Tuesday, an extraordinary action aimed at bringing America’s top trading partners to heel. But it threatens to weaken the North American economy, including that of the United States, at a time of significant stress.

Trump also doubled the tariff on all Chinese imports to 20% from 10%. Those duties sit atop existing tariffs on hundreds of billions in Chinese goods.

“While President Trump gave both Canada and Mexico ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country, they have failed to adequately address the situation,” according to a statement released by the White House shortly before the tariffs took effect.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/04/economy/trade-mexico-canada-china-tariffs-trump-hnk-intl/index.html

Worst president ever.

Happy MAGA.

China struck back against US tariffs during first term and tanked the price of soybeans. Trump had to save the farmers with subsidies. Either Trump didn't learn or he just doesn't care about American farmers.

China puts tariffs on U.S. farm goods, blacklists American companies​

Beijing retaliated quickly after Trump further raised tariffs on Chinese goods, a major escalation in the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

China imposed tariffs of up to 15 percent on a raft of U.S. farm products on Tuesday and blacklisted more than 20 U.S. companies, marking a major escalation in a brewing trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

The move targets some of the United States’ top exports to China, including soybeans, meat and grains.

China’s State Council, the equivalent of its cabinet, announced a 15 percent tax on U.S. goods including chicken, wheat and corn. Other American products — including soybeans, sorghum, beef, pork, seafood, dairy products and fruits and vegetables — will be subject to a 10 percent levy.

The Chinese tariffs will go into effect on March 10 and could hit billions of dollars worth of U.S. goods.

China is the largest market for American farm products, accounting for 17 percent of total U.S. agricultural exports in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

link

OK farmers. You voted for this.

 

[daeler]

Talk about screwing the workers. Lots of prices are about to go up, might have some shortages depending on how some companies react.

 

[lwf]

True, people always think of Canada and Mexico as rogue nations.

What people think that?

 

[Nickyjo]

What people think that?

Sorry, twas my sarcastic response to them being labeled that.

 

[snakestretcher]

Awesome stuff! Its time for America to win against these rogue nations. The USD is strengthening, which means I am getting richer! Go Trump!

Yeah, it's so awesome that you'll be paying 25% more for all your imports, thanks to Trump. The US dollar is at a three-month low; what are you talking about? Enjoy what you voted for

U.S. stocks are being trounced by Europe as Trump retreats from Ukraine

Increased European defense spending as the U.S. backs away from Ukraine could bolster the euro and the region’s stocks

www.marketwatch.com

https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/

 

[Helix]

It's the fault of Republican voters.

 

[Nickyjo]

MAGA-ish (as opposed to regular GOP) support for Trump is at the same mysterious and understandable to me. Mysterious because he has such a long and unparalleled (by other pols) record of crooked deals, assorted sexual assaults, racial and other insults, and boundless narcissism. Understandable because we appear to have been ready for a disrupter, plus one having a bit of Mussolini’s appeal to restore some past, ill-defined lost greatness. We will be talking about him long after he is gone from the scene.

 

[snakestretcher]

It's the fault of Republican voters.

Any normal person would have learned a lesson after Trump's disastrous tranche of tariffs imposed during his last incumbency. American consumers are still paying for them, just as they will this time.

Why Trump tariffs will be ‘very bad for America and for the world’

If enacted tariffs will increase inflation, slow economic growth, and result in US consumers footing the bill

www.theguardian.com

Trump's tariffs risk economic turmoil - and voter backlash

Trump is making a high-stakes bet that could either reap major political dividends, or seriously undercut his second term.

www.bbc.co.uk

You got what you voted for, America. Don't come whining when the wheels come off.

 

[Helix]

Any normal person would have learned a lesson after Trump's disastrous tranche of tariffs imposed during his last incumbency. American consumers are still paying for them, just as they will this time.

Why Trump tariffs will be ‘very bad for America and for the world’

If enacted tariffs will increase inflation, slow economic growth, and result in US consumers footing the bill

www.theguardian.com

Trump's tariffs risk economic turmoil - and voter backlash

Trump is making a high-stakes bet that could either reap major political dividends, or seriously undercut his second term.

www.bbc.co.uk

You got what you voted for, America. Don't come whining when the wheels come off.

I didn't vote for that shit.

 

[snakestretcher]

I didn't vote for that shit.

Well done!

 

[sanman]

True, people always think of Canada and Mexico as rogue nations.

Justin Turdeau certainly trying his hardest to avoid elections, like the rogue dictator he is.

Nepo Baby.


Papa Doc, Baby Doc




Baby Turd

 

[jpn]

Worst president ever.

Here are some theories as to why Trump is imposing tariffs on Canada:

• Trump is still bitter about his Canadian hotel ventures that went bust.
• Some, on social media, have speculated that a 2019 photograph in which Justin Trudeau appeared poised to kiss Melania Trump, the first lady, at a Group of 7 gathering in France, left Mr. Trump with a grudge against the dashing Canadian prime minister.
• Mr. Trump sees the acquisition of Canada as the 51st state as the ultimate real estate deal that would seal his presidential legacy.

They make as much sense as anything.

Anyone else care to speculate why Trump is so determined to shoot our economy in the foot?

 

[Lex Talionis]

Justin Turdeau certainly trying his hardest to avoid elections, like the rogue dictator he is.

Nepo Baby.


Papa Doc, Baby Doc

View attachment 67558994


Baby Turd

View attachment 67558995

What the **** are you taking about? He steps down on Friday.

 

[sanman]

What the **** are you taking about? He steps down on Friday.

Friday? Trudeau already announced his resignation -- he did that before the war with Trump started, so he must be kicking himself now.
He's trying to wriggle out of it, coz he'd really like to become the new Zelensky of North America, fighting big bad Orange Man.
He's already having his followers circulate #stayjustinstay crap on social media.

 

[Yes_Minister]

Awesome stuff! Its time for America to win against these rogue nations. The USD is strengthening, which means I am getting richer! Go Trump!

Did you actually read a book about these issues or did you watch 5 minutes of Fox News infotainment?

 

[Michael Cole]

President Donald Trump’s blanket 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada took effect on Tuesday, an extraordinary action aimed at bringing America’s top trading partners to heel. But it threatens to weaken the North American economy, including that of the United States, at a time of significant stress.

Trump also doubled the tariff on all Chinese imports to 20% from 10%. Those duties sit atop existing tariffs on hundreds of billions in Chinese goods.

I read that Trump has sealed the border. "Finally!" says the MAGA cheering section.

What an amazing world of willful cognitive dissonance they live in.

“While President Trump gave both Canada and Mexico ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country, they have failed to adequately address the situation,” according to a statement released by the White House shortly before the tariffs took effect.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/04/economy/trade-mexico-canada-china-tariffs-trump-hnk-intl/index.html

Worst president ever.

Happy MAGA.

 

[Yes_Minister]

Justin Turdeau certainly trying his hardest to avoid elections, like the rogue dictator he is.

Nepo Baby.


Papa Doc, Baby Doc

View attachment 67558994


Baby Turd

View attachment 67558995

Elections have to take place at October at the latest, the government can hold elections before that if there is no confidence motion. Where you getting information on Canada, you should demand your money back.

 

[Ishm]

Awesome stuff! Its time for America to win against these rogue nations. The USD is strengthening, which means I am getting richer! Go Trump!

My chart shows the USD is now at/near it's lowest value in 2025 and falling?? Falling $ + tariffs = inflation. What a good recipe Trump has created.

 

[ElChupacabra]

We'll see how long this lasts, but pissing all of your biggest trade partners off doesn't make much sense as a tactic because it creates the incentive to work around the US. This is really stupid, and I suspect we'll see it play out as such. Trump hasn't done well with tariffs as a weapon, and the last time the US had to bail out farmers. I understand the selective use of tariffs as a way of protecting industries here or as leverage in negotiations, but leading in with them sets an adversarial tone that could change how countries negotiate with the US going forward.

 

[Absentglare]

Trump needs to inflict economic pain to compel the transition to Russian goods when he releases sanctions.

Trump is a servant of Russia.

 

[jpn]

Trump defended the tariffs in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, arguing that companies could avoid them if they set up shop in the United States.

What a moron.

Example:

• An aluminum casing for a Chevrolet Silverado begins with the aluminum smelted in Alma, Quebec. They source much of their aluminum from Quebec because smelting it requires a lot of power, and the province’s hydroelectric energy provides a huge amount of cheap, reliable, safe, zero-pollution electric power.
• Then it travels to Saltillo, Mexico, where the aluminum is cast into two molds. The vast majority of casting and molding car parts happens in Mexico. Heating and pouring materials into molds is a fairly simple but labor-intensive process, and Mexico has cheaper labor than its northern neighbors.
• Then it goes to Guelph, Ontario, where the molds are machined and refined.
• Then it goes to Newton, NC, where it becomes part of the rear differential.
• This then goes to Vaughan, Ontario, where it is added to the rear suspension.
• Finally, it goes to Fort Wayne, IN, where it's installed in a Silverado. The truck can be sent to a dealership in the U.S., Canada or Mexico

Each stop takes advantage of local resources, be they natural resources, the makeup of the labor force, or other factors.

That's the free market at its best. Trump wants to screw all that up...for some reason that no one is able to intelligently articulate, least of all him.