Vehicles that meet the USMCA rules of origin will be able to enter the U.S. duty-free again, for one month, two White House spokespeople said March 5.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, when asked by a Bloomberg TV reporter if tariffs will be hiked on April 2, or if a process begins then, said "some tariffs will come on right away," while others could take three weeks, four weeks, or two months, depending on which law is being used.
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From corporate giants to small companies, in farming, manufacturing and retail, Americans said tariffs on Canada and Mexico were damaging their businesses and driving up costs for customers.
Going from zero tariffs on most Canadian and Mexican imports to 25% convulsed Capitol Hill and foreign capitals, with some Republicans diverging from the president's protectionist message and Democrats universally using the action to attack Trump as the reason prices will go up.
President Donald Trump directed the Commerce Department to investigate whether the importation of lumber, wooden cabinets, wooden furniture and paper pose a threat to national security under Section 232.
Tariffs on some of the new aluminum and steel derivatives listed in an annex to President Donald Trump’s proclamation expanding the Section 232 tariffs will take effect March 12, according to a pair of notices released by the Commerce Department.
President Donald Trump, contrary to his commerce secretary's suggestion a day earlier that tariffs might be lower than 25% on Mexican and Canadian goods over border issues, told reporters March 3 that "tomorrow, tariffs, 25% on Canada, 25% on Mexico" will be imposed.
The trade community is closely watching whether plans by the Department of Government Efficiency to drastically cut the federal workforce will have any impact on trade operations, judging by recent social media posts.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, blocked his effort to pass a bill through the Senate unanimously that would require Congress to approve tariffs imposed on free-trade partners like Mexico and Canada, or on NATO and major non-NATO allies.