OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
President-elect Trump announced on Monday that he would sign an executive order upon assuming office to impose a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada. He also pledged to implement further tariff increases on China, citing concerns over the influx of illegal immigrants and the trafficking of illicit drugs.
In a Truth Social post, Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, 2025, noted that thousands of people were “pouring through” Mexico and Canada “at levels never seen before.”
“Right now a Caravan coming from Mexico, composed of thousands of people, seems to be unstoppable in its quest to come through our currently Open Border,” he wrote. “On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders.”
“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” he added. “Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem.”
“And until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!” he added.
Since his first administration, Trump has consistently urged Mexico to take more active measures to prevent the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the United States.
In a joint statement, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said America’s northern neighbor and the U.S. have “one of the strongest and closest relationships–particularly when it comes to trade and border security.”
“Canada places the highest priority on border security and the integrity of our shared border. Our relationship today is balanced and mutually beneficial, particularly for American workers,” they said. “Today, Canada buys more from the United States than China, Japan, France, and the UK combined. Canada is essential to US domestic energy supply, and last year 60 percent of US crude oil imports originated in Canada.”
“Law enforcement agencies from our respective countries—the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the US Drug Enforcement Administrations, and US Customs and Border Protection—work together every single day to disrupt the scourge of the fentanyl coming from China and other countries,” they noted further.
“In addition, the CBSA is continuously strengthening its ability to detect opioids through enhanced inspections at ports of entry, detector dogs, and emerging technologies, preventing opioids from entering and leaving Canada,” they said.
In a later statement, Trump announced he would implement an additional 10% tariff on all Chinese goods imported into the U.S. due to the “massive amounts” of drugs, particularly fentanyl, being smuggled across the border.
Trump stated that he has spoken with Chinese officials regarding the fentanyl entering the U.S. He noted that the communist nation had previously promised to execute drug dealers involved in this illicit trade but ultimately failed to follow through.
“Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America,” Trump also wrote on Truth.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times more potent than heroin, can be deadly even in small amounts. It has contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans and plays a major role in the rise of drug overdoses. Many illegal drugs are laced with fentanyl to increase their potency and reduce costs, often without users’ knowledge, Fox Business reported.
U.S. officials often state that illicit fentanyl is produced in Mexico using precursors imported from China and is subsequently smuggled across the border by drug cartels.
“Indeed, unknown to most Americans, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is actively funding, supporting, and pushing America’s most deadly drug threat in history,” reads a Heritage Foundation report called “Holding China and Mexico Accountable for America’s Fentanyl Crisis.”
