The US will press ahead with steep tariffs on Canada and Mexico from Tuesday, Donald Trump has said, setting the stage for a trade war with his country’s two largest economic partners.

Hours before his administration was due to hit America’s closest neighbors with sweeping import duties, the US president claimed there was “no room left” for a deal to avoid their imposition. The announcement led to a sharp sell-off on Wall Street.

All Mexican exports to the US are set to face a levy of 25% under the plans. Most Canadian exports will face a 25% tariff, with energy products facing a 10% duty.

. . .

The action is set to prompt swift retaliation. “We’re ready,” said the Canadian foreign minister, Mélanie Joly.

MBFC
Archive

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    8016 hours ago

    Hey America, get fucked. Your bald eagles come to Squamish for mating and we’re offering them all Canadian citizenship.

    Also, please note that individual Americans who oppose Trump are always appreciated…

    But yea, my household has dramatically severed ties with US companies and switched to consuming goods produced domestically or in Europe.

    • qprimed
      link
      fedilink
      English
      4616 hours ago

      Hey America, get fucked.

      USA here, and oh boy… are we working on it!

      fare thee well, Canada. there are a ton of us over here seriously rooting for you.

      • @NJSpradlin
        link
        English
        -715 hours ago

        Literally dozens of us.

  • qprimed
    link
    fedilink
    English
    4215 hours ago

    “Tariffs are easy, they’re fast, they’re efficient, and they bring fairness,” Trump said. He described the levies as a “a powerful weapon” that other presidents had not used because “they were dishonest, stupid or paid off in some other form”.

    so. much. projection.

  • @thisorthatorwhatever
    link
    English
    4616 hours ago

    He dreams of cutting taxes for the rich, and paying for it with tariffs on Canada. It’s his only dream. He has no clue how to run an economy. He has been bankrupt several times.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      1814 hours ago

      Tariffs are a tool for economic subsidies and protectionism they never fucking work as an income stream because they actively discouarge the activity they tax - they’re similar in action to sin taxes. Sin taxes discourage an activity and necessarily destroy their own revenue - they should never be seen as a tool for income outside of to minimize the harm of the activity they tax.

    • [email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      3016 hours ago

      Even if running a government like a business was a good idea, putting in charge a conman that managed to bankrupt a fucking casino is well beyond dumb.

    • @psmgx
      link
      English
      1816 hours ago

      The billionaires backing him don’t care. The economy will tank and since they’ve seen record, insane profits recently they’ll buy everything up. Putin and China love this too since it will fracture US hegemony and smash north American manufacturing.

      Rent seeking behavior really is the end of empires.

  • @fluxion
    link
    English
    3415 hours ago

    Ahh yes another day another instance of Trump personally fucking my 401k, investments, grocery bills, and edging my employer closer to layoff mode. Any time now his brilliant economic policies are gonna save America though!

    • Drusas
      link
      fedilink
      249 minutes ago

      That’s the point. Then he and his buddies can buy up all your stocks.

  • @Tylerdurdon
    link
    English
    612 hours ago

    For someone who purports to be a fantastic negotiator and deal maker, this guy is sure a Kevorkian of deal making lately.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1015 hours ago

    “Singlehandedly stop drugs from entering our country!” pours gasoline over economy and global alliances

    “Okay, yeah, we can start working on that.”

    “Okay, I’ll give you 3 weeks.” does fuck all at own border

    “Well, that’s really not eno-”

    “Times up!” lights match “We’ll still take that oil and gas, though.”

    • @Soup
      link
      English
      513 hours ago

      Also much of what he’s asking for is either something that’s being taken care of or straight-up isn’t a real problem.