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US president, Donald Trump, has confirmed that the 25% tariffs on imported goods from Canada and Mexico will go ahead as planned, along with an extra 10% on imports from China.
In a statement shared on the Truth Social platform on 27 February 2025, president Trump confirmed that the proposed tariffs on the two neighbouring countries would go into effect tomorrow (4 March 2025) as scheduled.
This follows a month-long delay on the tariffs, which were originally due to come into effect early February, aiming to combat the trafficking of drugs – particularly fentanyl – into the US.
While the tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports were delayed, a 10% tariff on all goods from China was implemented on 4 February. Trump has now revealed that an additional 10% will be charged on imports from China from 4 March.
In his statement, he wrote: “Drugs are still pouring into our country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels. A large percentage of these drugs, much of them in the form of fentanyl, are made in, and supplied by, China.”
“We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA…until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed tariffs scheduled to go into effect on 4 March will, indeed, go into effect as scheduled.”
Food and beverage giants such as Mondelez International and Diageo have already warned of the potential impact and uncertainty caused by the tariffs and any possible retaliatory actions taken by other countries.
Diageo scrapped its medium-term guidance, due to be published as part of its 2025 interim financial results published in early February, amid such concerns.
The alcohol group’s CEO, Debra Crew, said the tariffs add “further complexity” in the company’s ability to provide updated forward guidance, due to the situation’s novelty and fluidity.
She revealed that the business is taking a number of actions to mitigate the impact and disruption caused, exploring options such as pricing and promotion management, inventory management, supply chain optimisation and reallocation of investments.
According to BBC News, president Trump has also told reporters he is planning to impose tariffs of 25% on goods from the European Union. In its report, BBC News said the EU has confirmed it would react ‘firmly and immediately against unjustified tariffs’.