Since his return to the White House, Trump has enacted significant policy changes, including extensive reforms in immigration and passport regulations, and has set a record for the number of executive orders signed.
His administration has also increased import duties on major trading partners, imposing a 10% tariff on Chinese goods while imports from Canada and Mexico are now subject to a 25% tax.
Unsurprisingly, officials from China, Mexico, and Canada have voiced strong opposition to these measures.
Before the tariff announcement on Saturday, February 1, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remarked, “We’re ready with a response—a purposeful, forceful, but reasonable and immediate response.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum echoed this sentiment during a press conference on Friday, January 31, stating, “We have Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C, depending on what the U.S. government decides.” She emphasized, “It is crucial for the people of Mexico to know that we will always defend our dignity, uphold our sovereignty, and engage in dialogue as equals—without subordination.”
By Saturday night, both Canada and Mexico had unveiled counter-tariffs directly targeting Trump’s executive orders. Canada announced a 25% tax on $155 billion worth of U.S. goods. Trudeau reiterated in his speech on Saturday, “This will have real consequences for you, the American people,” adding, “The White House’s actions are driving us apart rather than bringing us together.”
Meanwhile, Sheinbaum took to Twitter, instructing her economic minister to take decisive measures to protect Mexico’s interests. She also condemned the White House’s accusations linking the Mexican government to criminal organizations, labeling them as baseless. “If the U.S. government truly wanted to address the fentanyl crisis within its borders, it would crack down on drug sales in its major cities and curb the money laundering that fuels this illicit trade—issues they have failed to address,” Sheinbaum stated.
