Trump bans some Canadian imports as North America trade war intensifies
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President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the G7 summit in Evian, France, in June. Photo: Christian Hartmann/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump said the U.S. would ban Canadian alcohol, some dairy products and large motorcycles, sharply escalating a trade war largely fought with tariffs.
Why it matters: The measures deepen the economic rift between countries that have spent decades interlinking commerce, threatening disruption for businesses and consumers on both sides of the border.
Zoom in: The import bans take effect Sept. 29, effectively cutting off U.S. market access for the targeted Canadian goods rather than simply making them more expensive.
- Trump imposed the bans under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which allows the president to bar imports from countries that maintain or increase discrimination against U.S. commerce.
- The White House said on Tuesday it would also expand the existing 50% tariffs to dozens of additional Canadian products — including some steel and aluminum goods, furniture and paper — effective Sept. 15.
What they're saying: A senior administration official played down the potential economic fallout, noting that the measures target products where Canada has little U.S. market share or buyers can turn to domestic and other foreign suppliers.
- The administration removed a handful of products from the list of goods subject to 50% tariffs — including cement, road salt and certain hospital paper products.
- The official said the administration adjusted the tariff list based on feedback from businesses, removing some products where officials found U.S. supply chains were particularly dependent on Canadian imports.
Catch up quick: Trade tensions have ratcheted up swiftly since U.S.-Canada talks collapsed last month.
- The U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods. Canada hit back with tariffs of up to 50% on a similar amount of U.S. goods, a measure that took effect earlier Tuesday.
- Trump has since threatened higher tariffs on Canadian autos starting next year.
- On Monday, he also threatened to ban Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier from selling its jets in the U.S. (Such a measure is not in the proclamations announced today, with a senior official saying it is still under consideration).
- In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump said he would direct officials to shut Canadian-made products out of a broad range of U.S. government contracts, "unless Canada restores full and fair reciprocity for American Farmers and Companies."
Zoom out: Canada's restrictions on American alcohol have been a particular source of frustration for U.S. officials.
- Most provinces have kept U.S. booze off government-run liquor store shelves for much of the trade war.
What to watch: The two economies are so deeply intertwined that escalating trade tensions could run into political and economic limits.
- Unlike many of Trump's earlier tariffs on Canada, the Section 338 measures do not spare USMCA-compliant goods, leaving more of the countries' integrated supply chains exposed.
- Canada initially included U.S. lobster in its retaliatory tariffs, only to soon change course amid concerns that the tariffs would be too painful for Canadian businesses.
- In the U.S., Trump's threat to ban Bombardier jets quickly got the attention of Republican Sen. Jerry Moran, who warned of the potential impact on Kansas workers.
Go deeper: Trump's next trade weapon
