Trump in the tariff dispute with Canada: USA announces import ban on some Canadian goods

dpa | In the customs dispute between the USA and Canada, the government in Washington has announced import bans on certain products from the neighboring country. Some dairy products, alcoholic beverages and motorcycles will no longer be allowed to enter the United States from September 29, according to executive orders from US President Donald Trump. A high-ranking government official said the goods were worth a single-digit billion dollar range.

With the new measures, Washington is increasing the pressure to get Ottawa to give in to the simmering tariff dispute.

As White House documents show, these include motorcycles and mopeds as well as certain wines, beers, vodka and schnapps. Some dairy products are also affected, such as whey protein, which can help build muscles. Just a few hours earlier, Trump had also ordered the procurement department of US authorities to stop purchasing Canadian products in the future.

Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc wrote on Platform “If the U.S. is ready to begin discussions, our government will work in good faith and constructively toward a more secure, mutually beneficial trade relationship that fully respects Canadian sovereignty.”

Canadian counter-tariffs on US imports came into force on Tuesday night (local time). Products affected include steel and aluminum, household appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics. This involves up to 50 percent being added to US imports. According to Canadian information, goods worth 27.6 billion Canadian dollars are involved.

The trade talks between the USA and Canada had previously failed. In August, the USA imposed tariffs of up to 50 percent on Canadian goods worth around 20 billion US dollars - including hockey sticks, furniture, honey and wine.

Trump has also threatened hefty 50 percent tariffs on cars, large and small trucks, auto parts and steel starting January 1, 2027 if the two sides fail to reach a deal. At least with regard to the auto sector, the President's position has not changed despite the recent import bans, the White House said.

Such a measure would have a profound impact on auto trade between the two nations: 85 percent of all cars exported from Canada went to the United States in 2024. Trump justifies his tariffs, among other things, by saying that Canada has been “exploiting” the United States for years. He claimed that his country did not rely on trade with its neighbor. According to US data, Canada is currently the USA's second largest trading partner.

At the same time, it was said on Tuesday that US representatives had continued to talk to Trade Minister LeBlanc in the past few days. “I believe there is interest on the Canadian side in finding an alternative path and, as always, we remain open to it,” the US official stressed.

Out of anger at his intransigent neighbor, Trump also ordered the border lake Lake Ontario to be renamed “Lake America”. He initially justified the move by saying that the US “no longer expects to do significant business with Ontario,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform about Canada’s most populous province, which is closely linked economically to the US.