Trump swaps some Canadian goods off his 50% tariff list and puts carpets and valves on
A new proclamation removes some Canadian products from the 50% tariff list and adds others, effective Oct. 30. Sen. Susan Collins announced the exemptions first.
By James Mitchell ·
Why it matters: Importers of some Canadian packaging and machinery get relief Oct. 30, while some Canadian valves and carpets face a new 50% duty.
For information only, not investment advice.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Friday that reshuffles which Canadian goods face his 50% Section 338 tariffs. Some products come off the list and others go on, effective 12:01 a.m. ET on Oct. 30.
Coming off, according to a White House fact sheet: plywood sheets, some paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment, and certain packing crates and boxes. Going on: "certain valves, carpets, waste products, and others." The duties still stack on top of Section 232 tariffs and apply whether or not a good qualifies under the USMCA.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced the exemptions first. Her office's press release said nine categories of products would be exempted, from corrugated cartons and plastic crates to agricultural sorting machinery and edible seaweed. Her announcement didn't mention the additions, which the White House announced less than an hour later, CNBC reported. Collins said on X that many Maine growers rely on Canadian products "that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense."
White House spokesman Matthew Middleton told CNBC the president is acting "in response to Canada's continued discrimination against and additional retaliation targeting U.S. commerce." The Wall Street Journal reported that the exemptions were aimed at helping Collins in her race against Democrat Troy Jackson, according to Maine Public. Jackson said Collins "now wants credit for bringing a cup of water to put out the fire."
Neither the fact sheet nor Collins' release put a dollar value on the goods being swapped, so the net cost to importers isn't yet clear. Canada's internal trade minister, Dominic LeBlanc, told the BBC : "While we assess these latest steps, Canada stands ready to work constructively and in good faith towards a more mutually beneficial trading relationship that respects Canada's interests."
Sources
- Further Modifying the Scope of Products of Canada Subject to the Additional Duties Imposed to Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States with Respect to Motor Vehicles, The White House
- Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Further Modifies Canadian Products Subject to Tariffs Under Section 338, The White House
- After Discussions with Cabinet Officials, Senator Collins Announces Certain Tariff Exemptions for Agricultural Producers in Maine, Office of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins
- Sen. Susan Collins on X: tariff exemptions for Maine agricultural products, X (@SenatorCollins)
- U.S. dropping some Canada tariffs, replacing with others, CNBC
- Trump administration to exempt Canadian products used by Maine farmers from tariffs, Maine Public
- US lifts tariffs on some Canadian goods before midterm elections, BBC News
Tags: tariffs-trade · white-house · elections