US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that from August 1, 2025, Canada will have to pay a 35% tariff rate for goods it imports to the US. The announcement, made during an interview with NBC News, marks a major escalation in the “tariff war”, which Trump describes as an effort to reshape America’s position in global markets.
While Canada was singled out with a fixed rate, Trump hinted at a broader plan that could impact several of the United States’ key trading partners.
“We’re just going to say all of the remaining countries are going to pay, whether it’s 20% or 15%. We’ll work that out now,” Trump told the network.
The President added that formal tariff letters could be dispatched to the European Union and Canada as early as Friday. However, he made it clear that not every country would receive a written notice. “Not everybody has to get a letter. You know that. We’re just setting our tariffs,” he said.
In a letter to Canada, he wrote: “The United States of America has agreed to continue working with Canada, despite Canada having financially retaliated against the United States. As you will recall, the United States imposed Tariffs on Canada to deal with our Nation’s Fentanyl crisis, which is caused, in part, by Canada’s failure to stop the drugs from pouring into our country. Instead of working with the United States, Canada retaliated with its own Tariffs.”
Elaborating on the US’s tariffs, Trump wrote: “Starting August 1, 2025, we will charge Canada a Tariff of 35% on Canadian products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs. Goods transshipped to evade this higher Tariff will be subject to that higher Tariff.”
‘Canada Will Face No Tariff If…’
Trump further said that no tariff will be levied on Canada, it decides to build or manufacture products within the United States and. Trump also assured Canada that approvals for such companies would be granted “in a matter of weeks”.
However, Trump also threatened: “If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 35% that we charge.”
“Also, I must mention that the flow of Fentanyl is hardly the only challenge we have with Canada, which has many Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, which cause unsustainable Trade Deficits against the United States. Canada charges extraordinary Tariffs to our Dairy Farmers — up to 400% — and that is even assuming our Dairy Farmers even have access to sell their products to the people of Canada. The Trade Deficit is a major threat to our Economy and, indeed, our National Security,” Trump added.
