Trump aides hunt for 11th-hour deal to dial back Canada-Mexico tariffs
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President Trump’s advisers are considering several offramps to avoid enacting the universal tariffs on Mexico and Canada that he had pledged, according to people familiar with the matter, even as he reiterated Thursday that the tariffs are coming. The situation is fluid and Trump still may go through with his vow to slap 25%, across-the-board levies on imports from America’s two largest trading partners.
The president has consistently said he would do so by Saturday. But amid ongoing negotiations with Canada and Mexico, the administration appears undecided on whether to impose tariffs on all imports from those countries, the people familiar with the matter said, adding that administration officials are preparing to opt for more targeted measures instead. Trump is still likely to announce some sort of trade action by Saturday, but it may only affect certain sectors, such as steel and aluminum.
Trump may also include major exemptions, such as oil. And the tariffs could be issued using existing legal authorities instead of more novel approaches officials had previously floated, according to people with knowledge of discussions, who stressed that no final decisions have been made. The administration could also announce new tariffs by Saturday, but with a grace period before they are implemented, allowing negotiations to continue with the continental neighbors, some of the people said.
Trump said he would decide, likely Thursday evening, whether the tariffs will apply to imports of Mexican and Canadian oil. “I’ll be putting the tariff of 25% on Canada, and separately, 25% on Mexico, and we’ll really have to do that," Trump said, adding that the duties could rise over time. The U.S.
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