Mexico, Canada and China . These are the countries that – starting tomorrow – will be hit by the axe of customs duties decided by Donald Trump. The increase is not the same for everyone: + 25 percent for the Canadian “neighbors,” 10 percent for the other two. “Canada and Mexico have allowed an illegal invasion of migrants and fentanyl ,” explained White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. Fentanyl is also the cause of the tariffs against China. When asked for a comment on the words of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who promised a strong response to American duties, Leavitt replied: Trudeau “would do better to speak directly with Trump before making these statements to the media.”
The European Union is also closely watching the US government's moves, not spared from the president's criticism and the shadow of price increases. According to Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani , if Europe wants to avoid a trade war with Trump, it must buy more from the United States, increase defense budgets and deregulate to strengthen the European economy. The deputy prime minister explained that one way to address and avoid the threat of tariffs is to create "a virtuous climate" by buying more goods from the United States. But Europe does not seem to be Trump's priority at the moment, at least in terms of increases.
The president - the White House explained - has not yet made a decision on the timing of the duties for Europeans. In the immediate future, Trump wants to keep his promise to hit Canada and Mexico, responsible, in his opinion, for the flow of fentanyl into the United States, as well as the arrivals of migrants. Denying last-minute rumors of ongoing negotiations and a change of heart with a possible postponement to March 1, Leavitt clarified: the tariffs "will start tomorrow", February 1.
(Unioneonline/vf)
