President Trump To Double Canadian Metals Tariffs

by Chris Teague

Published: March 11th, 2025

president trump to double canadian metals tariffs

It has been less than 24 hours without some change to U.S.-Canadian trade relations. After Ontario announced a 25 percent retaliatory tariff on energy exports, President Donald Trump said he would double planned tariffs on steel and aluminum imports by tomorrow morning.

The “upgrade” increases tariffs on metals to 50 percent, which could make everything from coffee pots to car parts more expensive. Trump’s decision to retaliate against Canada’s retaliation may eventually include direct tariffs on autos in addition to everything else. He has threatened to “substantially increase” auto tariffs on April 2 if Canada does not meet his demands, saying that the move would “essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was unmoved by Trump’s decision, telling MSNBC, “We will not back down. We will be relentless. I apologize to the American people that President Trump decided to have an unprovoked attack on our country, on families, on jobs, and it’s unacceptable.” He also vowed to keep the tariffs in place, saying that Americans and business leaders here need “to actually get a backbone and stand in front of him and tell him, ‘This is going to be a disaster. It’s mass chaos right now.’”

While dramatic, this is just the latest in a rapid series of changes in U.S. trade policy, and there are no signs that a slowdown is coming soon. We’ll likely be back next week talking about a different policy that changes or supersedes this announcement, so, um, stay tuned.

[Images: Joshua Sukoff via Shutterstock, GM]

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Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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6 of 137 comments

Billccm on Mar 12, 2025

I'd like to know what coffee pot manufacturer in America is buying it's materials from Canada. Is there even a coffee pot manufacturer in America?

2 Reply
- MrIcky on Mar 12, 2025
  
  Bunn. Coffee is the only thing I have left.
  
  1
Mikey on Mar 12, 2025

We are not sure who our P.M. is .. Mr Carney was coronated by the Liberal party of Canada . Until we have a general election Carney is a private citizen. He literally does not have a seat at the table. We're also not sure where Trudeau is ??
Here's a shocker... We are every bit as divided along partisan lines as our American friends.. The coming election will turn nasty, very nasty ..
I'm sure we will eventually work this tariff thing out??...
Regardless of where one sits on the political spectrum, number one priority should be to meet the two precent. The rest of it is just negotiations .

Oh and BTW ..Here's my deal ..We have a no return policy on damaged goods . You guys can keep Justin Bieber.. Do that, and we won't cut off the Maple Syrup .

2 Reply
- See 2 previous
- 1995 SC on Mar 12, 2025
  
  We will keep him if we can also have Alanis Morisette.
  
  Like
- Jkross22 on Mar 12, 2025
  
  I believe Justy is busy online typing French only messages. With his humiliation of himself and his country complete, it may be that he's going to the only place he can go - Parti Québécois
  
  1
- Lou_BC on Mar 12, 2025
  
  @Jkross22 - funny you mention Parti Québécois. You know things are bad when the Mango Mussolini manages to turn separatists into Pro-Canadian Patriots. LOL
  
  Like

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