Why is the United States hitting its biggest customer? President Donald Trump is going ahead with 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports except energy, which will be hit with a 10% tariff.
The apparent rationale is imports of fentanyl and illegal immigration. However, this is clearly a pretext as very little of the fentanyl consumed in the U.S. comes from Canada, comparatively few illegal immigrants come across the northern border, and Canada has already fallen over itself to comply with the Trump administration’s desires. Since December 2024, Canada has committed almost an additional $1 billion to border security and appointed a “fentanyl czar.” If there is something else the Canadian government should be doing, the Trump administration has not said what it is.
