Donald Trump confirmed Monday that his first economic measures after his inauguration in January would be to increase customs duties on products coming from China, but also from Canada and Mexico, decisions that he justifies by the crises linked to opiates and to immigration.
“On January 20, as one of my many first executive orders, I will sign all necessary documents to impose 25% tariffs on ALL products entering the United States on Mexico and Canada,” the president wrote elected in a publication on his Truth Social network.
“This tax will remain in effect until drugs, especially fentanyl, and all illegal immigrants stop this invasion of our country!”, he adds.
In a separate publication, he announced an increase in customs taxes of 10%, which is added to those already existing and to those additional that he could decide, on “all the numerous products arriving from China to the United States”.
He explains that he often raised the problem of the influx of drugs, notably fentanyl, one of the main culprits of the opioid crisis in the United States, with Chinese officials who promised to punish him severely, “to the point of punishment.” of death”, the “traffickers”.
“But they never got to the end of things,” he regrets.
The increase in customs duties, which he often described as his “favorite expression” during his campaign, is one of the keys to the future economic policy of the president-elect, who is not afraid of relaunching trade wars, notably with China, started during his first mandate.
Concerning China, he promised customs duties of up to 60% for certain products, or even 200% on vehicle imports from Mexico.
American laws give the president the necessary tools to implement customs duties by decree, as Donald Trump was able to do several times during his first term, on Chinese and European steel and aluminum for example.
