Ruler Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on autos from Canada and Mexico will take effect on April 2nd. The tariffs will undoubtedly drive up car prices for United States consumers and harm an already struggling domestic car-manufacturing industry.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has already responded, denouncing the tariffs as representing a “direct attack” on his country’s workers and declared that further retaliatory tariffs are likely. He also said that the “ties of kinship” and “ties of commerce” between the US and Canada were “in the process of being broken”.

Tariffs Bring Pain Without Gain

“Canadian workers, Canadians as a whole across this country, have gotten over the shock of the betrayal and are learning lessons. We have to look out for ourselves, and we have to look out for each other and work together.”

On the social media platform X, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields indicated that auto parts that comply with the US- Mexico- Canada free trade agreement would not be subject to import duties for the time being, according to a report by Al Jazeera. 

“USMCA-compliant automobile parts will remain tariff-free until the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with US Customs and Border Protection [CBP], establishes a process to apply tariffs to their non-US content,” Fields wrote.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed disappointment over Trump’s announcement of auto tariffs. “I deeply regret the US decision to impose tariffs on EU automotive exports,” she said in a social media post. “Tariffs are taxes – bad for businesses, worse for consumers, in the US and the EU. The EU will continue to seek negotiated solutions, while safeguarding its economic interests.”

EU Commission Chief Warns Trump’s Tariffs “Will Not Go Unanswered”

William L. Anderson wrote:

The stated idea behind the imposition of protective tariffs to aid so-called infant industries is that over time these industries will grow and increase wealth throughout the economy. However, the reality is that the economy will be permanently poorer as long as the tariffs or other trade restrictions exist. Even if the infant industries “grow up,” the net losses suffered by the economy will always be greater than net gains produced by the protected firms. The gain will never be greater than the pain.

What are your thoughts on tariffs? Should Trump back off, or push harder? Will they help or harm the economy? We want to know what you think! Start the discussion in the comments.