U.S. Delays Mexico, Canada Tariffs for 30 Days

Early Thursday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hinted that President Donald Trump was leaning toward delaying tariffs on Mexico and Canada.

A few hours later, Trump proved he was at least half right.

Trump on Thursday postponed the 25% tariffs – on most of the goods from Mexico – he imposed earlier in the week. The administration announced the 30-day pause amid fears of the economic fallout.

At the same time, Lutnick said Canada may also get a reprieve, though no change was announced. Again, later in the day, Trump proved him right.

Trump on said he will pause 25% tariffs on U.S. imports from Mexico and Canada that are covered under a 2020 trade agreement, delaying levies imposed on the nations earlier this week. 

Trump used a social media post to announce the delay in the Mexico tariffs after talking with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. He then signed two executive orders on Thursday afternoon applying the exemptions to U.S. imports of products from both Mexico and Canada covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which Trump signed during his first term. Goods that are not covered by the agreement remain subject to tariffs. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Lutnick’s early morning comments a “promising sign,” but said Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on goods from the U.S. would remain in place. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her call with Trump was a “productive conversation,” posting on X (formerly Twitter) they “had an excellent and respectful call in which we agreed that our work and collaboration have yielded unprecedented results.”