Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on during a press conference while responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s orders to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian imports, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada February 1, 2025.
Patrick Doyle | Reuters
President Donald Trump on Monday agreed to pause the implementation of planned U.S. tariffs on imports from Canada for at least 30 days, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
The pause was announced in a tweet by Trudeau hours after Trump and Mexico’s president said Trump would pause for one month planned tariffs on imports from Mexico.
In both cases, the pauses came after those countries agreed to take steps toward preventing the trafficking of the deadly opioid fentanyl into the United States.
Trump on Saturday said he would impose 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, and 10% tariffs on goods imported from China. Trump had also planned to impose a 10% tariff on energy resources from Canada.
Trudeau on Saturday warned that his country would implement a 25% tariff against $155 billion in U.S. goods in retaliation for Trump’s tariffs.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the White House, in Washington, U.S. Feb. 3, 2025.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
But in a tweet Monday announcing the pause, Trudeau wrote, “I just had a good call with President Trump.”
Trudeau said Canada had made new commitments “to appoint a Fentanyl Czar.”
“Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan — reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl,” the prime minister wrote. “Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border.”
“Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together,” wrote Trudeau.
Canada had detailed that border plan on an official web page on Dec. 18 — six weeks before Trump announced the tariffs.
Trump in a Truth Social post on Monday wrote, “Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border, and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like Fentanyl that have been pouring into our Country, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, while destroying their families and communities all across our Country.”
“I am very pleased with this initial outcome, and the Tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a 30 day period to see whether or not a final Economic deal with Canada can be structured,” Trump wrote. “FAIRNESS FOR ALL!”
Earlier Monday, Trump paused tariffs on Mexico imports after that country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, said she would immediately send 10,000 soldiers to her northern border to stem fentanyl shipments into the United States.
The vast majority of fentanyl seized at U.S. borders comes from Mexico.
In 2024, more than 21,100 pounds of fentanyl was seized by U.S. authorities on the border with Mexico, compared to only about 43 pounds seized at the Canadian border.