President-elect Trump has vowed to impose steep tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico to combat illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on any goods coming into the United States from China—over and above any tariffs he has already pledged to impose on Chinese products—as well as a 25 percent tariff on all incoming goods from Canada and Mexico. He cited Beijing’s broken promises to stem the flow of fentanyl, while saying that Canada and Mexico have failed to address the problem of illegal immigration through their borders into the United States.
Trump said in a series of social media posts on Nov. 25 that one of his first actions after being sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2025, would be to sign executive orders imposing the tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as China. In the missives, Trump cited the harmful impact of illegal immigration and drugs on U.S. communities.
“As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” Trump wrote in one of the posts, adding that a migrant caravan consisting of thousands of illegal immigrants is approaching the porous U.S. southern border.
“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” he said.
Trump added that the tariffs would stay in effect until both countries take stronger measures to curb illegal drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl, and unauthorized border crossings.
Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, has been linked to around 100,000 deaths annually in the United States, with much of the flow of the deadly drug coming from south of the border. A damning report released earlier this year by the U.S. House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party found that the Chinese regime was facilitating the proliferation of fentanyl in the United States.
In a separate post targeting China, Trump said he has held numerous talks with Chinese officials about stemming the flow of drugs—particularly fentanyl—flowing across the border into the United States. He said that Beijing hadn’t taken sufficient action despite promising to do so.
“Representatives of China told me that they would institute their maximum penalty, that of death, for any drug dealers caught doing this but, unfortunately, they never followed through, and drugs are pouring into our Country, mostly through Mexico, at levels never seen before,” Trump wrote. “Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America.”
Trump has previously vowed to end China’s most-favored-nation trading status and impose tariffs in excess of 60 percent on China-made goods.
While attention on illegal immigration has been focused mostly on the southern border, there has been a sharp uptick in unlawful crossings from Canada in recent years. Border Patrol agents apprehended nearly 199,000 illegal immigrants along the northern border in 2024 compared to 109,535 in 2022, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman took to X to suggest Trump’s announcement was a way to prod America’s neighbors into action on drugs and illegal immigration even before he assumes office.
“To be clear, according to Trump the 25% tariffs will not be implemented, or if implemented will be removed, once Mexico and Canada stop the flow of illegal immigrants and fentanyl into the U.S,” Ackman wrote.
“In other words,@realDonaldTrump is going to use tariffs as a weapon to achieve economic and political outcomes which are in the best interest of America, fulfilling his America first policy.”
Additionally, Trump’s nominee for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has on several occasions said tariffs can be used as leverage.
Prior to his nomination, Bessent wrote in a Fox News op-ed last week that tariffs are “a useful tool for achieving the president’s foreign policy objectives. Whether it is getting allies to spend more on their own defense, opening foreign markets to U.S. exports, securing cooperation on ending illegal immigration and interdicting fentanyl trafficking, or deterring military aggression, tariffs can play a central role.”