Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a sweeping new round of tariffs, notably imposing a 35 per cent duty on goods imported from Canada. This decision, communicated via a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and shared on Truth Social, is part of a broader "reciprocal" tariff policy set to impact over 20 nations starting August 1, 2025.

Trump justified the tariff on Canada by citing Canada's alleged failure to curb the flow of fentanyl into the United States and its prior retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. In his letter, Trump explicitly stated, "Instead of working with the United States, Canada retaliated with its own Tariffs. 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." He further warned that this rate could increase if Canada escalates its own tariffs on American products. Conversely, Trump offered an exemption from these tariffs if Canadian companies opt to build or manufacture products within the United States.

Beyond Canada, President Trump's administration has dispatched letters to leaders of numerous countries, detailing new import duties. On Wednesday, a 50 per cent tariff was announced for imports from Brazil, a move Trump linked to what he termed a "witch hunt" against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

These new tariffs are in addition to letters sent earlier in the week to 14 other countries, including Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Cambodia, informing them of reciprocal tariffs also set for August 1.

President Trump has maintained a firm stance on the August 1, 2025, effective date for all these new duties, emphasising that "No extensions will be granted" and all payments will be "due and payable starting AUGUST 1, 2025." He has repeatedly stated that any retaliatory tariffs from affected countries would result in an equivalent increase in U.S. duties.
With inputs from ANI