The United States has largely suspended tariffs on goods from Mexico. The decision should apply until April 2, said President Trump. The tariffs only came into force on Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump has announced a temporary suspension of tariffs for the majority of imports from Mexico. The tariffs of 25 percent would be stopped for four weeks. “After talking to the Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, I agreed that Mexico does not have to pay tariffs on goods that fall under the USMCA Agreement,” Trump wrote about Truth Social. That applies until April 2. The USMCA is the North America free trade agreement that the USA, Mexico and Canada had signed during Trump’s first term.
At Trump’s order, tariffs of 25 percent only came into force on Tuesday on goods from Mexico and Canada. Trump had mainly justified the step by the fact that the two neighboring countries did not take enough fentanyl against the smuggling of the dangerous drug. Canada immediately replied to the US tariffs with counter-tariffs, and Sheinbaum also had the prospect of her own tariffs.
“Respect and accommodate”
The Republican now wrote that he had granted the postponement of “respect and accommodation”. The relationship with Mexico is good. Together they are working hard to prevent migrants from the illegal border crossing to the United States and stop the smuggling with fentanyl.
Sheinbaum thanked Trump for a “respectful conversation”. They agree that the cooperation, considering sovereignty, led to good results. “We will continue our collaboration, in particular in migration and security issues, including the memory of the illegal import of fentanyl to the United States and from weapons to Mexico,” wrote the head of state on X.
Already delay for US car manufacturer granted
Trump had already granted a one-month postponement for US car manufacturers on Wednesday. The White House announced that the manufacturers for products that come from Mexico or Canada via the USMCA free trade agreement do not have to pay any penalty taxes.
The free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, negotiated during Trump’s first term, stipulates that most mutual deliveries are exempt from tariffs and services. At that time, the USMCA replaced the previous free trade agreement NAFTA.
Defeating early February
It is questionable whether the United States could also expose the tariffs to Canadian goods for the time being. Despite positive signals from Washington, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not see the Trump government before a fast end of the trade conflict. Trudeau said that the customs dispute would continue “for the foreseeable future”.
The current postponement of Mexico is only the latest turn in Trump’s customs policy. As early as February, he was only a few hours before the threatened tariffs were to be used on goods from Canada and Mexico, especially for concessions, especially for border security. For this he pushed the trade restrictions on for 30 days.
