President Trump imposes steep 50% duty on select Canadian imports

Upon returning to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on July 19, 2026, US President Donald Trump stepped off Air Force One and addressed reporters, having traveled back from New Jersey where he attended the 2026 World Cup Final.

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On Monday, Trump signed orders imposing new 50-percent tariffs on numerous Canadian goods, citing "discriminatory treatment" by Ottawa towards American products such as alcohol, automobiles, and dairy items.

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The newly imposed tariffs, which will take effect in 30 days, cover a broad range of goods including wine, hockey sticks, and cement, as outlined in a fact sheet released by the White House.

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Trump utilized Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a relatively unknown legal provision, to introduce the new duties, allowing officials to act against countries engaging in discriminatory trade practices.

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The latest tariffs will exempt energy, potash, and goods already affected by sector-specific tariffs, according to the White House, but will impact products covered under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement (USMCA).

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Notably, Trump's previous sweeping duties on US trading partners have typically included broad exemptions for goods entering the country under the North American free trade pact, a pattern not followed in his latest actions.

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These new tariffs threaten to further strain relations between Washington and Ottawa, coming just days after Trump warned Canada of potential increased tariffs due to smoke from raging wildfires drifting into the United States.