Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Canada and Mexico Just Clapped Back at Donald Trump's Steel and Aluminum Tariffs, and Republicans Are Siding With Them

Canada and Mexico Just Clapped Back at Donald Trump's Steel and Aluminum Tariffs, and Republicans Are Siding With Them
Enrique Peña Nieto President of Mexico and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walk during a meeting as part of the official visit of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Mexico City at Palacio Nacional on October 12, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)

Cue Donald Trump's trade war.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. It allowed the three nations to enjoy special trade relations within and negotiate as a team without.

The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994 after being approved by congress then signed by President Bill Clinton. But the actual negotiations happened under the Republican administration of President George H. W. Bush, who signed the agreement December 17, 1992 before passing it to congress.


The primary goal of NAFTA eliminated barriers to trade and investment between the United states, Canada and Mexico.

Economists consider NAFTA beneficial for the United States. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce credits NAFTA with increasing U.S. trade in goods and services with Canada and Mexico from $337 billion in 1993 to $1.2 trillion by 2011. A reassessment in 2015 found the agreement still benefited the United States.

But President Trump takes a different view on American trade agreements.

Since taking office, the president announced or enacted numerous tariffs, including on steel and aluminum. Tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum took affect on Canada and Mexico as of midnight Friday in Washington, DC.

Our allies retaliated in kind creating the beginnings of a trade war. Canada and Mexico, currently engaged in talks with the Trump administration on NAFTA, responded with new tariffs of their own.

Canada, largest supplier of steel to the United States, added tariffs covering $12.8 billion on U.S. imports including whiskey, orange juice, steel, aluminum and other products.

"The American administration has made a decision today that we deplore, and obviously is going to lead to retaliatory measures, as it must," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated.

Mexico announced “equivalent” measures on a wide range of U.S. farm and industrial products, including pork legs, apples, grapes, cheese, steel and other goods. President Enrique Peña Nieto did not directly respond, but former Mexican president Vicente Fox Quesada did.

President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Washington’s closest allies failed to draw praise for Republicans in congress and the country’s main business lobbying group. Drops in financial markets occurred as well with the announcement of each new tit-for-tat tariff.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue warned Trump's current trade policies could threaten the economy and cause the loss of more than 2 million jobs. Most of those job losses hurt states that voted for Trump.

Congressional Republicans expressed outrage after the White House abruptly announced it would begin imposing the steel and aluminum tariffs Friday on US allies Canada and Mexico despite NAFTA still being in full affect.

Renegotiation does not equate to termination.

"I disagree with this decision," Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin said in a statement.

There are better ways to help American workers and consumers. I intend to keep working with the president on those better options."

"I don't like trade wars," an anonymous Republican senator said. "There are no winners in trade wars. And this scares me."

Public responses fall along the same lines, with support only coming from Trump's base and those actually profiting from his tariffs. But one Twitter user, writer Matthew Chapman, gave his own detailed analysis of why Trump disregards all facts and data on trade agreements in his decision making.

More from People/donald-trump

 Andrew Isker
Contra Mundum Podcast

Christian Podcaster Roasted After Claiming He Opts For TSA Pat-Down For Truly Bonkers Reason

Christian nationalist Andrew Isker from Tennessee avoids walking through an airport security scanner at all costs because he claims it makes people gay.

So what's the alternative method he prefers for security clearance? A full body pat down by male TSA agents, of course.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy Mace
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Nancy Mace Ripped After Raging Over 'Evil' Constituents Asking Her To Host Town Hall

In March, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders held a caucus meeting to instruct Republican members of Congress to cancel town halls and avoid their constituents for the foreseeable future. But South Carolina MAGA Republican Representative Nancy Mace decided to take things a bit further.

Mace posted three videos attacking her own constituents for sending her an invitation and repeatedly asking for a town hall.

Keep ReadingShow less
Back shot of five young, carefree female friends stand in a field of tall sunflowers clasp hands and raise their arms to the sky.
Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Unbothered People Explain How They Became Immune To A-Holes

Being able to walk away from toxic people is a skill.

Too many of us have wasted too much time in life on people who drag us down.

Keep ReadingShow less
parents holding child's hands
Nienke Burgers on Unsplash

Times People Realized Their Parents Weren't Who They Thought They Were

Some kids grow up with an inflated perception of their parents. They see them as infallible heros.

These kids are usually in for a very rude awakening.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov
10 News First/YouTube

American YouTuber Arrested After Sneaking Onto Remote Island And Leaving Diet Coke For Uncontacted Tribe

24-year-old YouTuber Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov was arrested after making contact with one of the world's last uncontacted tribes, making the perilous and ill-advised journey to North Sentinel Island and leaving a coconut and a can of Diet Coke on the beach as a gift to the Sentinelese.

Polyakov, 24, arrived at the northeastern shore of North Sentinel Island at 10 a.m. on March 29, according to police reports. He used binoculars to survey the land but saw no one. He then climbed ashore, leaving behind a Diet Coke and a coconut, took sand samples, and recorded a video, the authorities said.

Keep ReadingShow less