A timeline of Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada

Trump pledges to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican imports, saying they would come into force when he takes office. He says in a post on Truth Social, a social media site he owns, that the tariffs would remain until both countries stop drugs, particularly fentanyl, and people from illegally crossing American borders.

January 2025

Jan. 20 — In an early sign of Trump’s penchant for changing timelines, he says on inauguration day that tariffs will likely come on Feb. 1 rather than taking immediate effect.

He also signs an executive order to enact an “America First Trade Policy,” calling for his trade and commerce officials to report back to him by April 1 on a sweeping review of U.S. trade policy and relationships.

February 2025

Feb. 1 — Trump signs an order on a Saturday imposing blanket tariffs of 25 per cent on virtually all goods entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, and a reduced 10 per cent tariff on energy, set to take effect Feb. 4. These tariffs are variously known as the IEEPA tariffs, or fentanyl tariffs, so named for the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that Trump invoked and his justification for using them.

Later, then-prime minister Justin Trudeau outlines Canada’s planned retaliation strategy, including immediate counter-tariffs. Over the weekend, Canadian provinces start pulling American alcohol from liquor-store shelves at provincially owned distributors.

Trump later pauses the implementation of tariffs on Canadian goods for one month after Ottawa pledges action to secure the border. He does the same for Mexico.

Feb. 10 — Trump signs a plan to institute a new set of 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum entering the U.S. starting March 12. Trump previously imposed tariffs on the metals in 2018 but later exempted Canada and Mexico. These sector-specific tariffs are separate from the previous set, and based on a different rationale.

March 2025

March 4 — Trump’s tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods go ahead after the month-long pause, despite hopes that border security measures Canada took could stave them off. In response, Trudeau announces broad retaliatory tariffs on U.S. food, alcohol, furniture, paper and more.

March 6 — Dominic LeBlanc, finance minister at the time, says Ottawa will suspend its second wave of retaliatory tariffs until April 2, after Trump signed an executive order to pause some new duties on Canada and Mexico and reduce potash levies to 10 per cent.

The White House says the duties would not apply to goods compliant under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, better known as CUSMA.

March 10 — Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces a 25 per cent surcharge on electricity exports to the U.S. Trump responds aggressively, saying he will double the rate on steel and aluminum tariffs. Ford then agrees to suspend the province’s export tax.

March 12 — The 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum take effect. Canada hits the U.S. with a second tranche of retaliation, enacting 25 per cent tariffs on $29.8 billion in U.S. goods, targeting steel and aluminum as well as other products including computers, sports equipment and cast iron goods.

March 14 — Mark Carney succeeds Trudeau as Canada’s prime minister.

March 26 — Trump announces 25 per cent sector-specific tariffs on automobile imports, which he says will take effect April 3. The White House says automobiles imported under CUSMA will only be taxed on the value of content not made in the United States. Vehicle parts that fall under the trade deal also escape duties.

April 2025

April 2 — Calling it “Liberation Day,” Trump unveils 10 per cent tariffs on imports from all countries and higher rates on dozens of nations that have trade surpluses with the U.S., including 34 per cent for China and 20 per cent for the European Union. None of the new measures affect Canada or Mexico.

April 3 — Trump’s 25 per cent auto tariffs take effect, prompting Prime Minister Mark Carney to say Canada will hit back with matching levies. Carney says Canada’s counter-tariffs will hit all vehicles that do not comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, along with any non-Canadian content in compliant vehicles.

April 15 — Ottawa says automakers that continue to manufacture vehicles in Canada will see some exemptions from retaliatory tariffs.

May 2025

May 6 — Trump and Carney strike a mostly genial tone in their face-to-face meeting in the Oval Office, but Trump gave no indication he plans to drop tariffs in the near future.

May 28 — The U.S. Court of International Trade strikes down Trump’s broad-based tariffs, saying he doesn’t have the authority to impose tariffs on nearly every country using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act. An appeal of the decision will later go before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The decision blocks both the “Liberation Day” duties as well as the fentanyl tariffs on Canada. A day later, a federal appeals court issues an emergency stay on the tariffs.

June 2025

June 4 — Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada come into effect on June 4. Carney called the tariffs “unlawful and unjustified.”

June 19 — Carney announced pending retaliatory tariffs, depending on how trade talks go. The response is panned by industry.

June 27 — Trump announces he’s halting all trade talks because of Canada’s impending digital services tax. Two days later, the government announces it is rescinding the tax and will resume negotiations.

July 2025

July 31 — Trump signs an executive order pushing tariffs on Canada to 35 per cent from 25 per cent, following through on a threat to raise duties if Ottawa didn’t make a trade deal.

The White House confirmed the tariffs would not hit goods compliant with CUSMA.

August 2025

Aug. 1 — Higher duties on Canadian goods take effect. Trump’s new 50 per cent tariffs on copper imports also kick in.

Aug. 8 — The U.S. Department of Commerce more than doubles countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports to 14.63 per cent. The increase brings the total duty level for Canadian softwood to 35.19 per cent.

Aug. 22 — Canada announces it would drop some retaliatory tariffs on American products to match U.S. tariff exemptions for goods covered under CUSMA, effective Sept. 1.

The change came after Carney said he received assurances from Trump on a call that the move would help kick-start trade negotiations with the U.S.

Aug. 29 — Low-value imports coming into the U.S., including from Canada, lose their duty-free status with the end of the “de minimis” rule.

September 2025

Sept. 25 — Trump announces a raft of new tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs, kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, upholstered furniture and heavy trucks, starting on Oct. 1.

Sept. 30 — Trump issues an additional 10 per cent tariff on softwood timber and lumber imports. The B.C. Lumber Trade Council says softwood lumber entering the U.S. will now see total import taxes exceeding 45 per cent.

October 2025

Oct. 7 — Carney meets with Trump at the White House. During a meeting in the Oval Office, Trump lavishes praise on Carney and says the prime minister would leave the meetings “very happy,” but he leaves without a deal in hand.

Oct. 24 — Trump says he is ending trade talks with Canada because of an Ontario government television advertisement pushing back on his tariffs. Ford later says he will stop running the ad after that weekend.

February 2026

Feb. 20 — The U.S. Supreme Court concluded it was not legal for Trump to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, better known as IEEPA, for his “Liberation Day” tariffs and fentanyl-related duties on Canada, Mexico and China.

July 2026

July 1 — On the final day for all three signatories of the CUSMA trade pact to extend the agreement for 16 years, United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says the country would not renew the agreement “in its current form.” It remains in place for now.

July 20 — In a series of executive orders, Trump announces new 50 per cent tariff on a range of specific Canadian goods, ranging from honey to hockey sticks, to take effect in 30 days. Unlike with the fentanyl tariffs, this new round has no exception for CUSMA-compliant goods.

— With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

A timeline of Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada

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