President Donald Trump has escalated the United States’ trade dispute with Canada, announcing new import bans and expanding 50% tariffs on additional Canadian products following Ottawa’s latest retaliatory measures.
Trump signed a series of proclamations Tuesday imposing bans on certain Canadian alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motor vehicles, including motorcycles and mopeds. The import restrictions are scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on September 29.
A senior White House official said the administration’s actions were intended to maintain what it considers a level playing field, discourage further Canadian retaliation and protect U.S. production.
Among the alcoholic products covered by the new restrictions are certain packaged sparkling grape wines, malt beer, rice wine or sake, Irish and Scotch whiskies, as well as pisco and singani. Some tequila and mezcal products in containers smaller than four liters are also included.
The restrictions also extend to certain dairy products, including several types of whey protein, as well as other goods such as cane molasses and non-alcoholic beer.
At the same time, the administration is expanding the list of Canadian goods subject to additional 50% tariffs. The newly covered products include golf carts and similar vehicles, cotton mattresses, bamboo and rattan furniture, and additional aluminum and cheese products.
However, several Canadian products are being removed from the 50% tariff list, including certain cement, toilet and facial tissue, bed sheets, paper-based household and hospital products, fishing rods and accessories, chemically pure sugars and road salt.
A senior administration official said some of the exemptions reflect the difficulty of replacing certain Canadian natural resources in parts of the United States, citing rock salt as an example.
The changes adding and removing products from the 50% tariff list are scheduled to take effect on September 15, while the import bans will begin two weeks later, on September 29.
The latest measures follow Canada’s imposition of new retaliatory tariffs on about $20 billion worth of U.S. exports, further intensifying the trade dispute between the neighboring countries.
























