President Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on three of the nation’s biggest trading partners Saturday could have sweeping impact across the world, and raise prices for American consumers.
Trump will impose 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, a decision he said he hopes decreases the amount of fentanyl and migrants coming into the U.S. across their borders. The president will also impose a 10% tariff on imports from China. On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will retaliate and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her administration is planning a response to Trump’s threat — setting the stage for a possible international trade war.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Friday that Trump intended to follow through on his plans, but did not answer exactly how the tariffs could affect American consumers in the grocery store or at the gas pump.
“I think Americans who are concerned about increased prices should look at what President Trump did in his first term,” Leavitt said. “He effectively implemented tariffs and the average inflation rate during the first Trump administration was 1.9%.”
Economists generally agree that tariffs increase inflation, but they don’t always. The tariffs Trump imposed during his first four years in office did not drastically raise prices. However, Trump’s first-term tariffs were not nearly as sweeping as the plan he is currently proposing.
Trump told reporters Friday he plans to eventually impose additional tariffs on oil, steel, copper, computer chips, and pharmaceuticals. He acknowledged the tariffs imposed Saturday could cause some “temporary short term disruptions,” but that the American people will “understand.”
“You see the power of the tariff,” Trump said. “No one can compete with us because we have by far the biggest piggy bank.”