Karoline Leavitt announces Trump will impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China this weekend

President Donald Trump volition slap tariffs connected neighboring Canada and Mexico tomorrow, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt told reporters – with an further tariff going into spot connected China.    

'Starting tomorrow, those tariffs volition beryllium successful place,' Leavitt told reporters during her 2nd property briefing astatine the White House.

She knocked down a newsman that Trump would permission himself wiggle country by imposing tariffs but not having them instrumentality effect until March 1.   

'I saw that report, and it is false,' she said.

'I was conscionable with the President successful the Oval Office, and I tin corroborate that tomorrow, the February 1 deadline that President Trump enactment into spot that a connection respective weeks agone continues, the President volition beryllium implementing time a 25% tariffs connected Mexico, 25% tariffs connected Canada, and a 10% tariff connected China for the amerciable fentanyl that they person sourced and allowed to administer into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans.'

She called the tariffs 'promises made and promises kept by the President.'

She brushed disconnected concerns that the tariffs mightiness spike ostentation for Americans who person yet seen prices travel down and whether Trump would reverse them successful that case. 

'That's a hypothetical question, and the President is intent connected ensuring that helium efficaciously implements tariffs portion cutting ostentation and costs for the American people,' she said.

She spoke hours aft Trump erstwhile again said the U.S. doesn't 'need' Canadian exports similar lumber oregon cars that U.S. companies manufacture crossed the border.

Trump said Thursday that helium would conscionable with his advisors to determine whether the tariffs would use to lipid – which impacts products crossed the board.

'Oil is going to person thing to bash with it arsenic acold arsenic I'm concerned' Trump said erstwhile questioned astir it.

'We're going to marque that determination astir apt contiguous connected oil. Because they nonstop america oil, we'll spot – it depends connected what their terms is.'

Trump campaigned connected the tariffs arsenic a mode to boost U.S. accumulation and forestall the state from getting 'ripped off' by different nations. 

But according to an analysis by the Peterson foundation, the tariffs would 'slow maturation and accelerate ostentation successful each 3 countries' successful North America.

'For the duration of the 2nd Trump administration, US GDP would beryllium astir $200 cardinal little than it would person been without the tariffs. Canada would suffer $100 cardinal disconnected a overmuch smaller economy, and astatine its peak, the tariff would trim the size of the Mexican system by 2 percent comparative to its baseline forecast,' the radical found.

Another analysis, by the Tax Foundation, concluded the 'tariffs connected Canada and Mexico unsocial would summation taxes by $958 cardinal betwixt 2025 and 2034 connected a accepted basis, amounting to an mean taxation summation of much than $670 per US household successful 2025.'

With China included, that would magnitude to 'an mean taxation summation of much than $830 per US household successful 2025.'

The medication dismisses the thought that costs would travel the tariffs, and Leavitt said Trump is committed to permenantly extending his 2017 taxation cuts. 

Trump connected Thursday nighttime attributed the tariffs to transnational challenges that the U.S. and different nations face: amerciable migration and the travel of amerciable drugs.

He said helium was imposing them 'for a fig of reasons' and said they 'may oregon whitethorn not emergence with time,' indicating the 25% and 10% figures could beryllium a floor.

'No. 1 is the radical that person poured into our state truthful horribly and truthful much,' helium said. 'No. 2 is the drugs fentanyl and everything other that person travel into the country, and No. 3 are the monolithic subsidies that we're giving to Canada and Mexico successful the signifier of deficits' – successful a notation to a commercialized imbalance.

Asked if she could warrant the tariffs won't spike inflation, Leavitt pointed to the past, erstwhile Trump slapped tariffs connected China that remain. 'Americans who are acrophobic astir accrued prices should look astatine what President Trump did successful his archetypal term. He efficaciously implemented tariffs and the mean ostentation complaint during the archetypal Trump medication was 1.9%,' she said.

She besides brushed disconnected Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's comments that his state won't relent until the tariffs are removed. 

'I don't deliberation so. I deliberation the President is going to instrumentality those tariffs tomorrow, and helium volition respond to Mr. Trudeau comments successful owed time, I americium sure,' she said, referencing an outgoing person Trump has mocked arsenic 'governor' portion openly discussing acquiring Canada arsenic the 51st U.S. state.