Trump holds off on Canadian tariff decision for 30 days
President Donald Trump at the last minute on Monday evening announced he would again postpone imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union, two people familiar with the decision said, pushing off a key economic decision while he tries to prod foreign leaders into making trade-related concessions.
The people said the White House had reached agreements on metals imports with Argentina, Australia, and Brazil, saying more details would be finalized in the next 30 days. The contours of those agreements couldn’t be immediately learned, though the White House had been pushing other nations to agree to quotas on exports to the U.S.
The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to disclose the White House decision.
Trump has put off a decision on steel and aluminum tariffs with Mexico and Canada because he is trying to gain more access for U.S. businesses to their markets as part of a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Canadian, Mexican and U.S. officials are meeting in Washington this week to discuss the plan.
Trump’s strategy with the EU is more fluid, as he has praised some countries, such as France, but chastised others, such as Germany, which he says needs to allow U.S. companies more access to consumers.
The late announcement — the tariffs would have kicked in at midnight — are the latest unexpected directive in Trump’s four-month effort to upend the U.S.’s trade relationship with more than a dozen countries. Some countries have received preferential treatment by agreeing to early changes, such as South Korea. Others, such as Japan, have been rebuffed despite repeated overtures from their leaders.
The Administration has reached agreements in principle on the metals trade with Argentina, Australia, and Brazil, details of which will be finalized in the next 30 days. The Administration is also extending negotiations with Canada, Mexico, and the European Union for a final 30 days. The metals negotiations have been a key test of Trump’s trade strategy and diplomacy.