Summary
Trump signed an executive order imposing 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports—excluding Canadian energy at 10%—plus additional duties on Chinese products.
In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a 25% duty on $155 billion in U.S. goods, beginning with $30 billion in tariffs Tuesday.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum indicated reciprocal tariffs, rejecting claims that Mexico tolerates criminal groups trafficking fentanyl and insisting on respect for sovereignty.
Experts warn these tit-for-tat measures could drive up costs, disrupt supply chains, and mirror the previous U.S.-China trade war, possibly harming security.
Dunno enough to know how well it’d work but I read a comment here the other day saying Canada and Mexico shouldn’t retaliate with tariffs but instead opt out of their side of UMCA and just not uphold US IP laws. They could individually or together invest heavily into forming companies that provide cheaper alternatives to whatever crap US companies pull for recurring revenue. Stuff like legally mandating that phones have a local-made app store pre-installed, subsidizing or outright investing in really well made and well maintained jailbreaks, third party repairs, and third party spare parts for stuff like John Deere products, Apple produccts, Tesla products…pretty much eat the tariffs on exports to the US, don’t retaliate with own tariffs so prices locally don’t go up, but hurt US profits everywhere else by becoming a provider of cheaper but still reliable (probably more reliable tbh) alternatives to anything US.
I’m kinda disappointed that’s not what’s happening rn
Edit: USMCA, not NAFTA
Maybe they realize Trump is the enemy, not the rest of the US. How are they retaliating for a temporary and baseless trade war based on personal spite, with something that won’t work until after he’s gone? Why do something that affects both sides over the long term, when this could easily disappear if Trump is distracted or finds a way to yell “WIN”
If this is anything like last time, Trump just wants to put his name on a new trade treaty, regardless whether anything changes, so he can brag about being a great negotiator. His followers eat that shit up
Everything you described takes half a decade minimal to be put into reality. You are literally describing building a whole fricking industry. And we all know how fast you can establish industries in North America.
When a literal bully is stabbing you, you do NOT wait for half a decade to do something about that.
Instead, retaliatory tariffs are pretty much the only thing they can do instantly as a government.
That’s fair. If someone punches you, you punch back. You don’t get beaten up in the moment in hopes that you get to jump them a week from now. The “both” option suggested below may be better but that still means it’s regular everyday people getting fucked over with higher prices in CA over something they had nothing to do with (I can still sympathize with the US but one can also argue the US voted him in, Canada did not).
We should do both. And very targeted tarrifs, not stupid broad tarrifs
Yeah, I like both option.
In reply to your edit: it’s CUSMA if you want to annoy Trump :)